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The Story 



OF 



Some French Refugees 



AND THEIR 



"AZILUM" 

1793 — 1800 



BY 



Louise Welles Murray 

Corresponding Secretary Tioga Point Historical Society. 
ATHENS, PENN'A. 



"Ye Shapes and Shadows of the Past 

Rise from your graves, 

Revisit your famihar haunts again, 

Let us behold your faces. 

Let us hear the words you uttered." 



1903 



/ 
( 



THE. LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS 

Two Copies Receiveo 

APR 25 1O03 

Copyright Entry 

CLASS Cl^ XXc. No. 

COPY B. 



Copyright 1903 
By Tioga Point Historical Society. 



^^^''a 
\,^^ 



In memoriatn, 
€lizaDetD £aporte. 



Only 250 copies of this book have been printed, of 
which this is number oZ^ 



Prefc 



ace. 



The fact that the story of Asylum has been neglected by 
general American historians should be sufficient reason for 
having it published in an enduring form. Of late years not a 
few imperfect and inaccurate accounts have appeared in various 
magazines and newspapers, and it has seemed that the time 
has come to gather and publish every bit of the perishing 
story. 

The mother of the writer, Elizabeth Laporte, lived with her 
grandfather, Bartholemew Laporte, for eleven years before his 
death, and with his wife eighteen years. Not long before her 
death she requested the writer to take notes from her recollections 
for the benefit of her children. She also had drawn, from her 
description, an interior plan of the great house in which she was 
born, and gave a full description of exterior and surroundings.' 
She requested the writer to record the story of Asylum, and, 
in loving memory of her fondness for all connected with it, it 
has been done. The truth of several of her statements has only 
recently been admitted by those interested in Asylum. But 
they are here recorded as she had them from Bartholemew La- 
porte. By careful research for eight years these recollections 
have been added to, and the writer has become possessed of 
various records, bits of memoirs, &c., not hitherto published ; 
of special value being those of John Keating, which reveal 
various facts not previously known by the students of the his- 
tory of Asylum. By far the most helpful papers in establishing 
dates and correcting complicating statements are some receipt- 
ed accounts signed by some of the most prominent men in the 
colony. These papers were found in a collection made by the 
late Edward Herrick, and were presented to the writer by his 
son, Jackman Herrick. 

Diligent inquiry elicits the fact that the French descendants 
of the prominent founders of Asylum seem never to have heard 



of it, and we must infer that it was but an episode in the 
chequered life of an active Frenchman in those stormy Revolu- 
tionary days. In the case of de Noailles this ignorance of Asy- 
lum was no doubt due to the fact that he never returned to 
France, but entered the army in service in the West Indies, 
where he lost his life. 

In addition to personal research the writer has had the bene- 
fit of the work of Rev. David Craft, the first historian of Asy- 
lum. Thanks are also due to the descendants of Laporte, 
Hornet, Lefevre and d'Autremont, especially Mr. Charles d'Au- 
tremont, for maps, letters, portraits and genealogical data; to 
Mr. J. Percy Keating for memoirs and portraits; to Mr. Julius 
Brown and sister, Mrs. Charlotte Pierce, for drawings and de- 
scriptions of the great house in which they had lived ; to Mr. 
J. A. Biles, surveyor, for valuable information ; to Mr. Edward 
Welles for copies of Hollenback letters and helpful assistance; 
to Mr. Frank R. Welles for researches in Paris libraries ; to Mr. 
John W. Jordan of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; and 
to B. S. Russell for reminiscences of conversations with Judge 
Laporte. 

In research and arrangement the writer has received some as- 
sistance from her daughters. 

The original plot of Asylum is now in the possession of Brad- 
ford County Historical Society, who kindly permitted copy to 
be made. 

A copy of this plot, excluding pen-pictures, inscriptions, &c., 
was made for Judge Laporte about 60 years ago. This was 
presented to the Tioga Point Historical Society by the late Mrs. 
Bartholomew Laporte in 1896. 

Some of the Articles of Agreement are in print and in pos- 
session of various historical societies. Others are supposed to 
exist only in the Craft collection of MSS., in Tioga Point Hist. 
Soc, the originals having been destroyed by fire while in the 
possession of M. Meylert of Laporte, who was the last pur- 
chaser of lands of the Asylum Company. 

We have some pride in the fact that most of the illustrations 
were made in Wyalusing (to which township Asylum originally 
belonged), being the work of H. J. Lloyd. The portrait and 

—6— 



house of Talon were reproduced by G. W. Leach, artist, of 
Wilkes-Barre, under the supervision of Mr. Edward Welles, 
The reproduction of the old map, most difficult of all, is the 
work of N. F. Walker, G. W. Leach and J. A. Biles. 

The genealogical part of the volume is entirely due to a 
suggestion of Rev. H. E. Hayden of Wyoming Hist. Soc, that 
it would add greatly to its value in the eyes of descendants of 
the original settlers. Time was short, and the work is imper- 
fect ; but such as various members of families chose to give. 
The brief biographical sketches have in every instance been 
submitted to some representative of family for comment and cor- 
rection. The genealogical tables are arranged according to the 
system used by Rev. H, E. Hayden, who is well versed in like 
work. The omissions are through no fault of the writer. 

While it would be commendable as history, no efiort has been 
made in this work to gather the story of the non-French set- 
tlers at Asylum, either before or after the existence of "French- 
town," as Asylum was familiarly called by American settlers in 
the region. This is intended to be the story of the French and 
has been impartially and conscientiously compiled, corrected 
and authenticated. The writer is well aware that some state- 
ments disagree with all previously published, but hopes for only 
kindly criticism, L. W. M. 

February 28, 1903. 



Contents. 

PAGE. 

The Story of Some French Refugees and their "Azilum" 9 

Agreement between Sophia de Sibert and Gui deNoailles 41 

Extracts from Chevalier de Pontgibaud 71 

Biographies : 

Keating 79 

d'Autreroont 86 

Lefevre 98 

Laporte 104 

Hornet 109 

Appendix : 

Sources of Information 117 

Letter B 119 

Letter C 121 

List of Taxables at Asylum 133 

Plan of Association of the Asylum Company 134 

Articles of Agreement and Association 143 

French Accounts in Possession of the Author 149 




i 



The Story of Some French Refugees 
and their "Azilum." 

Several years ago as I was wandering about 
the rooms in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, I 
was attracted by a small paper bearing the name 
"Asylum." It read as follows: 

1 Share Asylum Co. 
Jno. Keating 
Garrett Cottringer 

Kobt. Morris 
John Nicholson 

This is to certify that Charles de Cadignan of Philadelphia is 
entitled to one action or share in the entire property of 
the Asylum Co., being the equivalent of 200 acres of land, & 
c. & c. 

Robt. Morris President 
9 day of June 1794. 
James Duncan Secy. [See note.] 

This bit of yellowed paper which hangs on the 
window frame near the old bell, receives only a 
passing glance from the hundreds who yearly 
throng Independence Hall. Yet the page of un- 
written history which it represents is worthy of 
attention even here, in the birthplace of our lib- 
erty and constitution; for the history of this 
colony of French emigres is closely interwoven 
with the personal history of men of national in- 

It has recently been ascertained that this framed certificate is a copy or 
duplicate of Certificate No. 91, now in the collection of the Historical Soci- 
ety of Pennsylvania. 



terest. Men whose names are inseparably con- 
nected with the old hall, and those early troubled 
years of the young Republic. 

Yet not alone to the student of American his- 
tory do the memories awakened by this bit of 
paper appeal. The story of the colony and the 
brave men connected with it is as pure a bit of 
romance as the imagination can desire, hardly to 
be surpassed by the traditions of their prototypes, 
those picturesque adventurers who fought for 
existence in the Canadian wilderness some two 
centuries before. 

The settlement of Asylum, whatever its prime 
motive, was the direct outcome of the French 
Revolution. Historians have not yet determined 
exactly when the French Revolution began, but 
we will date it from July 14, 1Y89. 

This Revolution was the explosion resulting 
from centuries of repression, mismanagement 
and tyranny. Its four chief causes were : 

*I. The long-continued and exhausting wars of 
France, which had piled up a debt of $1,300,- 
000,000. 

II. The fact that the blood tax springing from 
this war debt, and from the wasteful habits of 
King and court, fell on the common people, while 
the wealthy, who owned the land, were almost 
exempt. 

III. For 175 years the people had had no voice 
in the government because no meeting had been 
held of the States General, the national assembly. 



* Note from Guizot's History. 

—10— 



IV. The final cause was the decay of rehgious 
belief, and the growth of a vigorous literature 
proclaiming principles of independence, liberty 
and equality, principles powerfully enforced by 
the republican institutions of America as wit- 
nessed by those Frenchmen who had come hither 
to join in our war for independence. 

In the spring of 1789 Louis XVI, King of 
France, was forced by popular opinion to summon 
the States General. Old distinctions were done 
away, the King soon became alarmed at the 
democratic utterances of the Assembly, and col- 
lected a body of troops at Versailles. A rumor 
spread on July 14th that the commander of the 
Bastille, the old military fortress and prison in 
the heart of Paris, had received orders to turn 
his guns on the city. A frenzied mob rushed to- 
ward the stronghold crying "Down with the 
Bastille." 

The defenders of the building were captured 
and brutally murdered, their heads stuck on 
pikes being carried through the streets by the 
mob. The building was completely destroyed; 
the news was carried to Versailles; the King, 
roused from his sleep, said to the messenger: 
"Why, this is a revolt." " No, sire," was the 
reply, " it is a Eevolution." " With the 14th day 
of July," said a wise and enlightened witness of 
the time, "the terror began." The distressed 
lower classes took the law into their own hands 
throughout France, the strongest motive being 
material want. While the multitudes were 
actually suffering from hunger, news reached 
—11— 



Paris that the King had given a banquet to some 
army officers at Versailles, and that they had 
trampled the people's colors under their feet. 
These tidings inflamed the rabble, and they set 
out on foot for the palace, and forced the King 
and his family to go with them to Paris, shout- 
ing, "We shall not die of hunger now for we 
have got the baker, and the baker's wife and the 
baker's little boy." This compulsory journey 
was named by the mob the "Joyous Entry." 

From this time, October 6, 1^89, the nobility 
began to leave Prance in ever- increasing num- 
bers, although it was not until September, 1792, 
that wholesale executions w^ere begun. Then 
men fled for safety, leaving their families, never 
dreaming that they, too, would be guillotined 
(even the children,) because of their rank. Then 
many found it convenient to provide a permanent 
refuge beyond the borders of France. 

As the Kevolution progressed, and power passed 
from one party to another, the bands of fugitiv^es 
grew larger, and not a few began to look from 
Europe to the new world. To the more moderate 
it had many attractions, despite the disadvant- 
ages which exile in a distant and half-settled 
country must necessarily offer to men nurtured 
in one of the most highly civilized cities of 
Europe. 

The United States of America was still hardly 
more than a wilderness; but, with all the crude- 
ness and isolation, she was already enjoying that 
liberty for which France was so vainly striving, 
and for w^hich the passion had been steadily in- 
—12— 



creasing in French hearts since the days when 
Lafayette and other French volunteers had taken 
part in our country's cause. The Hnks which 
French sympathy and American gratitude had 
forged between the two countries, facihtated 
flight across the Atlantic. Even if the official 
friendship of the two countries was soon to suf- 
fer a shock in the neutrality act, the individual 
ties were as strong as ever. Lafayette showed 
his affection and admiration of the United States 
by sending the key of the Bastille to Washing- 
ton, the highest honor which he felt capable of 
paying him. And, while the United States did 
not feel bound to maintain friendly relations 
with the government that exiled and imprisoned 
Lafayette, to the men whom it exiled she opened 
her arms. Lafayette and his countrymen had 
left friends among the highest circles, official and 
commercial, of America. Robert Morris, the fa- 
mous financier of the Revolution; his colleague, 
Gouverneur Morris; Jefferson, ardent defender 
of the rights of man; Washington, the visible 
head of the Republic; all these stood ready to 
render material aid to those finding the excesses 
of the Jacobins unendurable. There is reason to 
believe that Gouverneur Morris, Minister to 
France, lavish of his wealth, and keenly sympa- 
thetic, facilitated the passage of more than one 
of these exiles to America, as later he did that of 
Louis Philippe and his brothers. 

Certain it is that on their arrival at Philadel- 
phia, the capital and center of the commercial 
and political activities of the young Republic, 

—13— 



the refugees were warmly received in the circle 
of friends of Robert Morris. And here were the 
principal financiers of America: Willing, presi- 
dent of the first bank of the United States; Bing- 
ham, whose consulship in the French Indies had 
established him friend of the French, and Girard, 
the French merchant and philanthropist, whose 
advice and assistance were free to all; these men, 
high in official circles as well as chief representa- 
tives of American enterprise and commerce, were 
the promoters and supporters of colonies of 
French refugees which were soon scattered here 
and there throughout the country. 

" November 20, 1792," says Carlyle ia his French Revolu- 
tion, " Smith Gamain comes to Robespierre the leader of the 
people; hints that he knows a thing or two, that in May last 
when traitorous correspondence was so brisk, he and the Royal 
Apprentice (for poor Louis had a turn for blacksmith work), 
fabricated an iron chest, cunningly inserting the same in the 
wall of the Royal chamber in the palace, invisible." 

The panel in the wall was at once searched for, 
wrenched out, and here are letters enough all 
treasonable to the people; Talleyrand, Mirabeau, 
Talon, and many others. It is of Talon only 
that we wish to speak. Antoine Omer Talon 

was born in 
Paris January 
20,1760. Talon 
was n o t of 
noble birth, 
.but of one of 
the most illustrious families of the French Mag- 
istracy. He became King's Advocate in 1777, 

—14— 






[From a miniature presented by himself to John Keating.] 



whea only seventeen years old, and Lieu- 
tenant of the prison of the Chatelet in 1789. 
He was also a member of the National As- 
sembly, and was distinguished for his un- 
alterable defense of the royal prerogative 
claimed by Louis XVI. Compromised by the 
flight of the King, he was arrested and impris- 
oned for a month. Later he was one of the most 
faithful advisers of the King, and with other 
royalists met frequently at night in the Tuileries. 
When his letters were found in the iron chest, he 
was marked at once for the guillotine. He es- 
caped, however, and fled to the sea coast, it is 
supposed to Marseilles, where he lay in hiding for 
several weeks. At this time he became acquaint- 
ed with a young Frenchman, Bartholemew La- 
porte by name, who had been a prosperous wine 
merchant at Cadiz, Spain. A decree of the 
Spanish Government, banishing all French sub- 
jects and confiscating their property, had left La- 
porte penniless and anxious to make his way to 
America, as Talon proposed to do. At last, hav- 
ing an opportunity to embark in an English mer- 
chantman at Marseilles, Laporte concealed Talon 
in a wine cask, carried him on board and stowed 
the cask in the hold of the vessel, covering it 
with charcoal. Suspecting that Talon would em- 
bark, soldiers searched the vessel, but in vain. 
On reaching England, Talon engaged passage to 
America for himself and Laporte, who was ever 
afterward his confidential agent and trusted land 
steward. Talon evidently arrived in Philadelphia 
early in 1793, as Keating met him soon after his 
—15— 



J(Cri 



own arrival on December 24, 1792. *. Ta o n 
went at once to Vicomte de Noailles, whom he 
had known in France. 

7 • / /L - /i arrivedin 

OtMJ <l*^ V5^<?<M.^^^^^__ Philadelphia 

^^ early in the 

summer of 1792. He was not a stranger, 
for though eleven years had elapsed since his 
last visit, there were few who did not re- 
call with pleasure the brilliant young broth- 
er-in-law and fellow officer of Lafayette. 
De Noailles had fought in the cause of American 
independence with such enthusiasm and distinc- 
tion that Washington not only complimented his 
bravery several times in general orders, but gave 
to him the honor at Yorktown of receiving with 
an American officer the surrender of Cornwallis, 
and of establishing the terms of capitulation. 
This distinguished son of distinguished ancestry, 
soldiers, marshals and peers of France under 
three reigns, well deserved the honor bestowed 
upon him by Washington at Yorktown, His 
father was Marechal de Mouchy, a court favorite. 
His mother was first lady of honor to Marie An- 



* After narrative was completed the writer received from J. P. Keating 
documents found among John Keating's papers, the chief of which reads 
as follows : " I Matthew Irwin Esqr., Master of Rolls for the State of Penn- 
sylvania, do testify that Omer Talon Gentleman from Paris, appeared be- 
fore me and voluntarily took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and 
Fidelity," &c., &c. 

An appended document by one Peter Lohra set forth that " Omer Talon 
having taken such oath, is deemed accepted and taken as a citizen of the 
State of Pennsylvania as well as of the United States of America,'' &c , &c., 
dated July 11, 1793. 

A third document also appended, signed by Governor Thomas MifiQin, 
testifies that said Peter Lohra was a notary public in Philadelphia. 

—16— 



toinette. He was brother-in-law of Lafayette. 
He was born in 1756, and entered upon a military- 
career at an early age, and soon distinguished 
himself by the improvements which he intro- 
duced into militar_y tactics in every regiment in 
which he served. He organized the regiment of 
which he became Colonel, and was considered 
one of the best Colonels of his time when he ob- 
tained permission to go to America with Lafay- 
ettOj at whose side he shone throughout the con- 
flict. He returned to France full of the liberal 
ideas and projects of our young Republic. He 
distinguished himself in the National Assembly 
of 1789 by claiming the equal adjustment of tax- 
ation, and was the author of the decree which 
gave the death blow to the old feudal system. 
He was made Field Marshal in November, 1791, 
and commanded under Lafayette. In 1792, dis- 
couraged by defeat in battle, and seeing treason 
and desertion on every hand in the army and 
general mismanagement in the government, he 
became deperate, resigned his position, went to 
England and thence to America. It is often said 
that he fell under the ban of Robespierre or the 
Jacobins (one of the numerous Revolutionary 
clubs organized to gain the ear of the people). 
But all French biographies relate it as above. 

He was obliged to escape hastily, leaving be- 
hind him his helpless family; not only his wife 
and two little sons, but his old father, the Mar- 
echal de Mouchy, and his mother, chief maid of 
honor to the queen. All perished by the guillo- 
tine. On reaching Philadelphia, where his old 

—17— 



friends proved friends indeed, he was at once 
welcomed to partnership with Bingham, where 
Talon found him.* 

Talon had plenty of means, and with the 
assistance of de Noailles he was enabled to throw 
open a great house as an asylum for his helpless 
and destitute countrymen, in which there was 
soon gathered a motley crowd. There were 
members of the National Assembly, anxiously 
awaiting their families' arrival from Paris; titled 
officers of the army who had escaped barely with 
their lives; abbes who had seen their churches 
burned over their heads, and refugees who had 
fled with their families from the French colony 
of San Domingo, where in 1791 slaves, stirred by 
the news of the revolution in France, had re- 
volted against their masters and produced one of 
the most terrible insurrections ever known. 

The casual acquaintance of Talon and de 
Noailles soon ripened into the warmest friend- 
ship; for Talon, practical, experienced and level- 
headed, was just the man de Noailles needed for 
his purpose. The two men were soon as deep in 
plans as they had ever been in Paris. What 
were these plans ? Strange things, rumor whis- 
pers, but probably no one will ever know for cer- 
tain; they were swallowed up like many other 
affairs in the turmoil of the times. To the world 
de Noailles gave out that they were planning a 
colony for the destitute exiles who had flocked to 
Philadelphia. But if that were their only object 



* For further information about de Noailles see notes at back of volume. 

—18— 



why did they select the remotest and most inac- 
cessible spot in the wilds of Pennsylvania for 
their Asylum ? 

Before Talon's arrival, de Noailles had already 
considered the purchase of a large tract of land 
from Robert Morris and John Nicholson, large 
proprietors in the wild lands of Pennsylvania. 
Major Adam Hoops," a Revolutionary soldier, was 
to accompany Charles Bue Boulogne (a French 
attorney who had been traveling between France 
and America for the last two years, arranging 
purchases of land between Morris and various 
Frenchmen, and of great use as interpreter), on 
a tour of investigation to the region then known 
as Northumberland County. Adam Hoops, as 
Major in Sullivan's army, had made the journey 
fourteen years before, and was chosen as a guide 
because Robert Morris placed in him the utmost 
confidence. These gentlemen carried the follow- 
ing circular letter from Robert Morris : 

Philadelphia, August 8th 1793. 
Sir: 

Should Mr. Boulogne find it necessary to purchase provisions 
or other articles in your Neighborhood for the use of himself 
or his Company, I beg you will assist him therein ; or should 
you supply him yourself and take his drafts on this Place, you 
may rely that they will be paid ; and I will hold myself ac- 
countable. Any services it may be in your Power to render 
this Gentleman or his Companions I shall be thankful for, and 
remain, 

Sir, Your obedt St 
To Mr. Dunn at Newtown, Robt. Morris. 

Messrs. James Tower Jr. & Co., at 

Northumberland, or to any other person to whom Mr. Boulogne, 

—19— 



Mr. Adam Hoops and the Gentlemen in their Company may- 
apply; also to Matthias HoUenback Esq., Wilkesbarre. 

[Endorsement on the back of the Copy]: 
I do hereby Certify that the within Letter is a true Copy of the 
Original, which is in my Hands, as witness my Hand, this 27th 
day of August A. D. 1793. 

Ch Bue Boulogne. 

These gentlemen struck across the country 
from Philadelphia to Northumberland, and 
thence, following the tortuous course of the Sus- 
quehanna, they reached Wilkes-Barre, one of the 
few important settlements. August 2Y, 1793. 
Here they made the acquaintance of Matthias 
HoUenback, proprietor of several trading posts 
along the river, to whom they delivered the letter 
of Eobert Morris, which is still in the possession 
of HoUenback heirs. 

Passing up the lovely Susquehanna, then the 
only highway, the explorers reached a certain 
land-locked valley on the north branch of the 
river, now a part of Bradford County, included 
in the Susquehanna Company's township of 
Standing Stone. 

Long before Etienne Brule, the scout of Chara- 
plain, had traced out the windings of the Susque- 
hanna, the Indian, whose chosen waterway it 
was, had marvelled at a great slab of rock pro- 
jecting some twenty feet from the surface of the 
river bed. To Indian and white man, known as 
the "Standing Stone," it has been a land mark 
from time immemorial. 

This stone is 44 ft. high from top to the bed of 
the river, 16 ft. wide, 4 ft. thick. The lower 
edge must reach far into the earth to resist, 

—20— 



as it has for at least more than a century, the ir- 
resistible power of freshets. It stands near the 
right bank of the river, visible from Lehigh Val- 
ley R. R. between Rummerfield and Hornet's 
Ferry. Just south of this great stone, in one of 
the many curves of the river, lies a semicircle of 
flat, fertile land, shut in on the landward side by 
the steep heavily- wooded hills which follow the 
course of the valley. 

On this promising tract of meadowland, the 
agents of the French found eight lots of three 
hundred acres each occupied by Connecticut 
settlers. According to deed records of Luzerne 
Co. , these eight lots, one of which was a large 
island, were owned by Robert Cooley's heirs, 
Charles Townley (two), Robert Alexander, Rob- 
ert Alexander, Jr., AdelphijRoss, Ebenezer Skin- 
ner and Justus Gaylord.* They were not how- 
ever the earliest settlers, as the plain was called 
"Schufeldt Flats" after a Palatine emigrant 
Peter Schufeldt, who had come from the Mohawk 
region with Rudolph Fox (first settler at Towan- 
da) about 1770. 



t 



* Note. — According to deed records of Luzerne Co. the following is 
learned about the transfer of the 8 lots above mentioned: 

1. M. HoUenback Adm. to Directors Asylum Co.— 300 acres in Asylum— 
January 8, 1796. 

2 & 3. Chas. Townley to Louis de Noailles Nos. 19 & 30, May 28, 1794. 

4. Robert Alexander to Louis de Noailles No. 21, January 11, 1794. 

5. Robert Alexander Jr. to Louis de Noailles an island known as Stand- 
ing Stone Island, January 11, 1794. 

6. M. HoUenback to Louis de Noailles lot purchased of Adelphi Ross 
October 9, 1792. 

7. Forsyth lot sold at SherifE sale to Roswell "Welles, who to Benjamin 
Stone who to Ebenezer Skinner, June 30, 1793. 

8. Lot of Justus Gaylord, Sr. 

No record of conveyances 7 and 8 to de Noailles. 

—22— 



Some of Sullivan's soldiers also had thought the 
land good, as John, son of Simon Spalding, and 
Henry Birney had settled here. Mr. Craft says 
Spalding and Birney came before Revolutionary 
war. 

"The locality seemed to Boulogne and Hoops 
very desirable if both titles could be secured, as 
it was part of the tract claimed by both Connec- 
ticut and Pennsylvania." Hoops soon returned 
to Wilkes-Barre to assist in securing title, but 
Boulogne remained, purchasing early in October a 
farm on his own account as per following agree- 
ment (Herrick collection Tioga Point Hist. Soc): 

This is to certify that it is agreed by these presents between 
Mr. John Spalding of Sheshequin, Luzerne County of the one 
part and Mr. Charles Felix Bue Boulogne of Azylum Coraijany 
aforesaid of the other part, that the said Mr. John Spalding 
will deliver to the said Mr. Boulogne a good warranted Deed 
from and against all persons claiming under title of Connecti- 
cut or Pennsylvania a tract of land containing three hundred 
and twenty acres of land situated at Standing Stone flats being 
his actual property, the said Deed to be delivered within three 
months from this date to the said Mr. Boulogne who on the 
said delivery shall pay for and in consideration of the said bar- 
gain to the said Mr. John Spalding the sum of Seven hundred 
Dollars in the following manner, viz : — 

50 Dollars in money or a note of hand pble in 9ber next, 
150 D" in his note of hand pble in January 1795 — 
200 D" in his note of hand pble in July 1795 & 
300 D" also in his note of hand pble in January 1796, 

the said parties binding themselves reciprocally into a penalty 
of two hundred Dollars to be paid by the failing parties in 
order to pay all damages, in witness whereof we have both set 

—33— 



our haod and seals to the present agreement, done at Azylum 
this 34th day of July 1794. 

The possession to be given in November next. 

(Seal.) John Spalding. 

(Seal.) Ch^s- Bug Boulogne. 

Sealed and delivered in presence of us 

Frementin. D'Autremont. 

Matthias Hollenback was engaged to secure 
Connecticut title, Robert Morris undertaking to 
secure the Pennsylvania.* Of Morris' methods 
we are ignorant, but from various records and 
papers, it is to be inferred that Judge Hollenback 
had to use not only great tact, but considerable 
of his own funds. f The prices of the lots is said 
to have varied from |133 to $800. (Just here it 
may be of interest to note that in a mention of 
Asylum in a recently published book in France, 
the author says the land only cost the company 
fifteen cents an acre.) In connection with the 
effoi'ts to secure title the following letter is given 
entire, and has been well named " the charter of 
Asylum." 

(Robert Morris to Matthias Hollenback.) 

Delaware Works, 30 miles from Phila- 
delphia, 9 October 1793— 
Sir: 

I received your letter of the 14 Septr & also one from Mr. 
Talon, and forwarded them both to him for his information and 
consideration. The one addressed to him he has returned with 
his observations ; but that which was direc ted to me he has 



*The names of those holding Pennsylvania Patents as discovered by J. A. 
Biles, are Archibald- Stewart, Wm. Nicholson, David Linsay, Robert 
Stevens and John Bovme. (,Bacom, Bommer or Bohem, four spellings hav- 
ing been used.) 

t See Letter C, Appendix. 

—24— 



neglected to send back : so that if I omit to answer any points 
contained in it, you must excuse me, as I cannot do it from 
mere memory. 

Messrs De Noailles & Talon desire to make the purchase of 
the Eight Lotts or Tracts that compose the Tract of Land call- 
ed the Standing Stone, & also the Island or Islands which they 
mentioned to you ; but they will have all or none ; this they in- 
sist on as an absolute condition, as you will see by a copy of 
their observations on nine articles extracted from the contents 
of your letter to Mr. Talon. They do not object to the prices 
or terms of payment stated in your letter ; but you will perceive 
by their decision to have all or none, that it will be necessary 
to make conditional contracts with each of the parties, fixing 
the terms, & binding them to grant conveyances of their right 
upon the performance of the conditions by you on your part ; 
but reserving to yourself for a reasonable time to make the bar- 
gain valid or to annul it. If you can get the whole of them 
under such covenants, under hand and seals, you can then 
make the whole valid, & proceed to perform the conditions, & 
take the conveyances in the name of Mr. Talon ; but should any 
of the parties refuse to sell, or rise in their demands, so that 
you cannot comply with them, you can in such case hold the 
rest in suspense untill Mr. Hoops or you send an express to in- 
form me of all particulars ; which will give my Friends an op- 
portunity to consider & determine finally. 

Mr. Adam Hoops will deliver this letter. He possesses my 
confidence, and will be glad to render the best assistance or 
service in his power, upon occasion. He must, however, act 
under you; for in any other character the Connecticut men 
would consider him a new purchaser, & rise in their demands. 
He will go with you, if you choose, or do anything you may 
desire, to accomplish the object in view. You & he will 
therefore consult together, as to the best mode of proceeding ; 
and I must observe, that altho Mr. Talon has agreed to the 
prices & terms demanded by the Connecticut claimants, yet I 
cannot help thinking them very dear ; & more so, as we have 
been obliged to purchase the Pennsylvania Title, which Mr. 
Hoops will inform you of. 

—35— 



I hold it then as incumbent on you to obtain the Connecti- 
cut rights upon the cheapest terms that is possible ; and you 
may with great propriety let them know, if you think it best to 
do so, that unless they will be content with reasonable terms, 
that we will bring ejectments against them; or rather that you 
will do it, & try the strength of Title : in which case they will 
get nothing. 

Whatever you do must be done soon. Winter is approach- 
ing, and these Gentlemen are extremely anxious to commence 
the operations necessary to the settlement they intend to make ; 
but they will not strike a stroke until the whole ^f the Lotts 
are secured for them ; & unless the whole are obtained, they 
give up the settlement, and will go to some other part of 
America. 

I engage to make good the agreements and contracts you 
may enter into consistently with your letter of the 14th Septr. 
last to Mr. Talon, & with his observations thereon ; a copy of 
which Mr. Hoops will give to you if desired ; and to enable you 
to make the payments according to those stipulations, which 
you may enter into in that respect, I shall also pay the order for 
a Thousand Dollars already given you on their account. 

The settlement which these gentlemen meditate at the Stand- 
ing Stone is of great importance to you ; and not only to you, 
but to all that part of the Country ; therefore you ought for 
your own interest, & the interest of your country, to exert 
every nerve to promote it. They will be of great service to 
you ; and you should render them disinterestedly every service 
possible. Should they fail of establishing themselves at the 
Standing Stone, there is another part of Pennsylvania which I 
should prefer for them ; and if they go there, I will do every 
thing for them that I possibly can. — I am, Sir, 

Your obedt.hble. Servt., 
Matthias HoUenback Esqr., Robt. Morris. 

Wilkes Barre. 

Eventually both titles were obtained, though 
indeed Boulogne began operations at once, as is 
indicated in a letter written two months after his 

—36— 



arrival on the ground. Though he seems to have 
had some associates, their names are not known 
to-day. 

Standing Stone, 8ber 19th, 1793. 
Mr. Mathias Hollenback, 
Wilkes-Barre 
Sir : 

I received by Mr. Town the favor of yours 
dated 11th instant, and your boat also arrived here few days 
after; all that was enumerated in your bill hath been delivered, 
and you are therefore credited on my account of L48.10.3, this 
Currency ; when you'll send me the price of the ox-cart, cows 
and tull. I shall do the same. 

The cows are exceeding poor, and hardly give any milk; but 
I hope they will come to, and therefore we will see one another 
on that account ; but I cannot help observing to you that your 
blacksmith hath not treated us well ; the chains and tools are 
hardly worth any things ; the iron is so bud or so tender that it 
bend like butter ; I wish you mention it to him for the future. 

The difficulty of having the buildings and great many articles 
of provisions in proper time hath determined us and the gentle- 
men in Philadelphia to lessen them, and as Mr. Keating hath 
told you, the expenses will of course be lessened ; therefore I 
have not sent you the draft for 3000 Dollars which we spoke 
of when I was in Wilkesbarre, and one* of the gentlemen who 
will deliver you this letter is going to Philadelphia; if you are 
not gone will be very glad of your company ; will as well as 
you see Messrs. Talon & De Noailles in that city and send or 
bring their answer on things relating to the expences. 

I will be obliged to you to deliver the other gentleman who 
is coming back here Directly as much money as you possibly 
can, or the 1350 Dollars which remain in yonr hands for my 
draft on Robert Morris Esq^e and you'll take his receipt and 
charges it to my account. 

You may also make me debtor for the sum of LIS. 17.6, which 
Mr. Joshua Whitney hath given me for your account, and of 



* deAutremont. 

—27— 



which you'll dispose according to the note herein enclosed, hav- 
ing credited you here of the same. 

Esq^*^ Hancock hath not yet concluded his Bargain with Gay- 
lord & Skinner, you know it is of the greatest importance to 
have it concluded as well as the one of Ross, otherwise it will 
stop me here all at once, the gentlemen in Philadelphia being 
determined to have the whole or none at all, or to reject the whole 
purchase from Mr. Morris. 

In your letter you speak to me of having bought from Ross 
the house and part of the Land, but you don't tell me the quan- 
tity of Land ; I hope you have concluded the whole, and beg 
on you to say some thing to me on that account in your Letter 
and explain it well because according to your answer I shall 
either go on with the buildings or stop them Directly. 
I remain with esteem, Yours, 

Ch^s Bug Boulogne. 
(Postscript) 

Sir: 

In buying from Mr. Ross you must absolutely 
buy the crop which is in the ground. Everybody here is very 
sorry you have not done it so for the other purchase, because it 
keeps us one year entirely without enjoying our property. 

I have received the cloth that was over Mr. Talon's boat, but 
you have forgot to send me by your boat the frying pan, salt, 
axes, &c., that Mr. Ross hath return to you; be kind enough 
also to send by the first opportunity the sack of things belong- 
ing to Michael — which by mistake I sent or left at your house. 

The purchase as concluded was of 2400 acres, 
the northwest corner being the aforementioned 
" Standing Stone-" The title deed reading : 

' ' Beginning at a remarkable rock on the western side of the 
Susquehanna river known as the Standing Stone," 

and the conveyances being legally executed early 
in 1Y94:. The whole was so accurately surveyed 
that ever since surveyors have come there from 
long distances to get their bearings. 

—28— 



The name of Asylum, or as the French wrote it 
^'Azilum," was given to the plot. The original 
map is still in existence, in possession of Bradford 
Co. Hist. Soc. Having been folded always it be- 
came so worn that about 1840 Judge Laporte had 
an accurate copy of plot executed, now in mu- 
seum of Tioga Point Hist. Soc. at Athens, Pa. 

The town proper covered 300 acres ; it was laid 
out in the form of a parallelogram as carefully 
and daintily as a toy village. Its greatest length 
was north and south, with a large market square 
in the center containing two acres. Five streets 
ran due north and south, crossed by nine running 
east and west, the middle one much wider than 
the others (100 ft.), making 413 lots in the town 
plot of about 1 acre each. (See note.) Toward 
the hills next to the plot were 17 larger lots num- 
bered and others not numbered. These were un- 
cleared, varying in size ; 100,000 acres of wild 
land were also purchased by subscription on the 
Loyal Sock Creek, 2500 of which was divided into 
town shares of 400 acres each. When any part 
of this wild land was cleared by a subscriber he 
received nine dollars per acre out of the com- 



Along the river bank were built houses for the slaves brought from San 
Domingo, though one might judge from the following appeal that the 
slaves soon learned they were where they could be their own masters. This 
is addressed to BI. Hollenback: 

'•Azilum 1 April '9(5 Sir, I hope you will not take it ill if I address myself 
to you and claim your assistance. A negro man about twenty years of 
age stoutly built ran away from my house night before last, he can hardly 
speak a word of English, he took away a new axe, a couple of new shirts, 
several prs of linen and cloth trousers, 2 blankets, and had on a hat with 
a blue ribbon — he says that he is free though he is bound for no less than 
fourteen years. I would take it as a great favor sir, if you would be so kind 
as to have him advertised. I shall give 5 dollars reward and pay all reas- 
onable charges. If in return I could be of any service to you sir please to 
dispose of your 

very obedient humble servant 

LAROUE 

—39— 



mon funds. The streets were fifty feet broad 
and were a marvel to the country round, as later 
were the roads built to reach the more distant 
clearings, for the Yankee settler of that era was 
accustomed to satisfy himself with the natural 
highway, the river, or with the narrow rough 
trail cut by Sullivan's army in 17Y9 ; and the 
hundreds of dollars spent by the French in build- 
ing roads was to the Yankee incomprehensible. 
Equally incomprehensible was the natural 
French taste for landscape gardening and love of 
trees, where they did not obscure the view. The 
French abhorred the Yankee mode of clearing. 
''You would think," wrote one of them, "that 
the American had an inborn aversion to trees." 
And where the forest trees had all been cut down, 
the French planted Lombardy poplars, weeping 
willows and various fruit trees to redeem the 
barren appearance of the town. 

An Asylum Company was organized April 22, 
1Y94, Mr. Craft says: " Fabulous sums of money 
were anticipated as the result of this specula- 
tioD." The capital stock was to consist of a mil- 
lion acres or 5000 shares of 200 acres each. In 
April, 1795, new articles of association were 
formed with some prudent changes. But the 
practical abandonment of the colony, and the 
fact that the money which was to have been paid 
in France to Morris' son from Talon's estate was 
not forthcoming, proved this company also un- 
successful. In 1801 the company was again re- 
organized. This last company secured the title 
to large tracts of land in Sullivan, Lycoming and 

—30— 



Luzerne counties and sold to actual settlers. §See 
note: see also appendix, 

September 1, 1808, at a meeting of the Board, 
the trusteeship was conveyed to Archibald Mc- 
Call, John Ashley, and Thomas Ashley in trust 
for the use of the Asylum Company. The trust 
deed conveying lands, tenements, &c., forming 
the common stock of funds of the said Asylum 
Company was executed Nov. 3, 1808. As the 
country was settled many of the company's lands 
were sold. The residue, ten to twenty thousand 
acres was sold to Hon. Wm. Jessup of Montrose, 
March 4, 1843; he subsequently conveyed the 
same to Michael Meylert of Laporte, the title to 
some of which is held by the trustees of his es- 
tate. 

Among the refugees from San Domingo there 
was one who was particularly recommended to 
de Noailles and Talon, doubtless by General 
Rochambeau. Of noble Irish ancestry, but French 
by adoption, enthusiastic, yet cool headed, able 



§ In the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a Minute 
Book of the Asylum Co. Though its title is "Minutes of the Association 
of 1795," the meetings recorded extend only from April 7, 1803 to Decem- 
ber 1804. With these minutes is a list of receipts for certificates of stock 
with holders' signatures, like the one at beginning of book. 

The entries in Blinute Book refer chiefly to an exchange of old certifi- 
cates for new ones. There is also a subscription list with autograph sig- 
natures. This list contains many names hitherto unknown in connection 
with Asylum. 

There is also in this collection [Philadelphia] a Catalogue of the Lands 
and Stock of the Asylum Co. offered for sale at the Merchants' Coffee 
house in pursuance of the 21st Article of Association of the said company, 
dated 1819. This catalogue gives no date for sale, or terms; simply 
lists of tracts and their location; also, unsatisfied warrants, and shares 
in Easton & Wilkes-Barre Turnpike, and in Susquehanna & Tioga Turn- 
pike 

Diligent inquiry at the City Hall, Philadelphia, proves that none of the 
Articles of Association were ever recorded there. The Hist. Soc. of Penna. 
does not assume to know, but doubts that any articles were ever record- 
ed. For all these Articles of Association see Appendix. 

—31— 




and tactful, y^ ^^ 

John Keating yf^ t^-^ 
was just the /7 
man to be as- (j 

sociated with 
them in their 
enterprise. His admirable business qualities and 
skill as an interpreter proved invaluable both at the 
settlement, and in Wilkes-Barre and Philadelphia, 
and he seems to have been continually traveling 
back and forth, though his memoirs show that 
he lived at Asylum, and according to tax lists, he 
at one time owned six houses there. To Bou- 
logne was entrusted the supervision of workmen 
in clearing land and erecting houses, though later 
on Montulle had entire charge of clearing. Build- 
ing was a most difficult business, with all sup- 
plies, even lumber, having to be ordered from 
Wilkes-Barre and pushed up the river in Durham 
boats, four or five days being required for an or- 
dinary trip. (See letters in Appendix.) Early in 
the life of the colony financial troubles began, 
which may have been magnified by the irritable, 
querulous disposition of Boulogne, who had 
charge of ordering supplies and money to pay 
workmen, and who seems to have had some mis- 
understanding with Matthias HoUenback at 
Wilkes-Barre. Mr. HoUenback had trading posts 
along the river, and Morris and de Noailles had 
arranged with him to furnish ready money and 
supplies as needed. But complaints were fre- 
quent, perhaps because Boulogne's demands for 
money were unprecedented in the wilderness 

—32— 



where farm produce was generally used as specie. 
However, it was not long before the refugees 
began to arrive, as October 30, 1Y93, M. Boulogne 
wrote to Matthias Hollenback: 

"M. Dupetithouars with all his hands arrived here yester- 
day, and also M. Perrault. The last brought me a letter from 
M. Talon who tells me he expects to be here the 6th or the 8th 
of next month." 

In November de Noailles paid a short visit to 
Asylum to give directions to Boulogne and to 
arrange business matters with Mr. Hollenback 
and others. This was his first and only visit to 
the colony for which he hoped so much. During 
the rest of its existence he watched over the in- 
terests in Philadelphia, leaving Talon to be the 
visible head and guiding genius. During his stay 
it is supposed the plan of the town was decided 
on and the name of Asylum chosen. (See letter 
B. Appendix.) 

The needs and trials of Boulogne and his asso- 
ciates are shown in the following letters to Mr. 
Hollenback: 

Standing Stone, Xber 9th 1793 
Sir: 

I received your two letters one of the 2d the other of the 5th 
instant, as also the 11 small tables and 31 window frames from 
Mess. Kellogg & Delano in your boat, who hath arrived here 
this morning with the one of Mr Myer, bringing part of the 
goods of Mr Talon from Catawasay. 

Mr. Talon arrived here this morning as I was concluding the 
Bargain with Mr Ross for his Land here. You'll see by the 
perusal of this agreement that he is to receive from us other- 
wise by you the sum of fifty three pounds at the time of the 
signing and acknoweledging the deed; and in order to enable 
you to make this payment I send you within this letter two 

—33— 



Bank notes each of one hundred Dollars, viz: 100 Dollars 
United States Bank Nol917 order Wm Wirt, dated 2 Jany, 
1792, signed Thos. "Willing Presidt & John Kean Cashier: the 
other of also 100 Dollars same Bank No9 order of G. Aston 
dated 2d Xber 1791, signed as the above. 

As those 200 Dollars will be more and above what will be 
necessary for the payment to be made to Mr Ross if he com- 
plyes with the conditions of the Bargain, which we hope you'll 
see fulfilled, I shall be obliged to you to send me by the first 
opportunity fifty Dollars in cash or in small bills of five Dollars. 

I am told by Mr Keating you intend to come up here your- 
self; therefore if you could at the same time bring with you 
cash or small bills for 1, 3, or 3 hundred Dollars, we should 
give you in return some bills of one hundred and you would 
oblige us. 

Mr Talon desires you would send him as quick as possible 
the 6 oxen beef he hath engaged from you ; he wishes also you 
would send the same some unguent for sore legs, & some Peru- 
vian bark &ca ; and 3 or four franklin stoves with pipes ; if they 
can be got second hand so much the better. 

Tell the masons & joiners not to loose a moment in coming 
up ; don't forget to send some Leather or some shoes. 

I shall write to you without fault by the Post of next Mon- 
day. 

Don't forget to have the titles of Mr Ross well examined be- 
fore you give anything, and see that he agrees with his broth- 
er's heirs. 

I'll be obliged to you to write to me by the first opportunity 
on account of the 200 Dollars herein enclosed. 

Standing Stone, Xber 1st 1793, 
Sir: 

This particularly is to beg on you to send as quick as pos- 
sible the window frames, the lime and lead I have ask you; the 
remainder of the goods which Mr Dupetit Thouars hath left 
behind, and particularly the nails. If in the boat you could 
add 5 or 600 feet of good seasoned boards they are very much 
wanted here, and 50 or 60 pairs of shoes ; our American people 
here are all without & they would soon be sold. 

—34— 



standing Stone, Xber 23d 1793. 
Sir: 

The mason Wm Dun mead hath arrived here thursday last 
19th instant, Holstead (Halsted?) and the two others masons 
have also arrived here Saturday 21st instant and are going back 
this day because the weather does not permit them to work. 
By the same reason which hinders me from giving 7 dollars to 
Hatwatter I beg of you to settle with the masons & charge it 

to our account. 

I remain, Sir, Yours, 

Ch Bug Boulogne 

As shown in the letters winter came on before 
any houses were completed. The arrival of many 
of the settlers was postponed and those on the 
ground made the best of the log huts of the 
Yankee settlers, heating those without chimneys 
with the Franklin stoves sent from Wilkes-Barre. 
That must have been a long and dreary winter, 
supplies were delayed and at one time the pros- 
pect of a famine must have been serious. But 
with the coming of spring everything was pushed 
with greatest rapidity. From the many letters 
calling for building supplies, one would think 
there were as many mails a day as now with 
railroad facilities. Soon the emigres began to ar- 
rive from Philadelphia, some by the way of Cata- 
wissa and others doubtless by the way of Beth- 
lehem and Wilkes-Barre, where they found 
Matthias Hollenback ever ready to assist them in 
any way, though he must have been tried by 
their demands and complaints. Yet they were 
brave indeed to face the toilsome and tedious 
journey before them, braver no doubt by reason 
of the enthusiasm and hopeful anticipations of 

—35— 



Talon and Keatina^ who seemed to have travelled 
back and forth all winter. 

Who can imagine the thoughts of those aristo- 
crats on arriving at this primitive settlement in 
the heart of a wilderness, lonely and inaccessible ! 
Accustomed to the luxuries of Parisian life, or 
the tropical luxuriance of the West Indies, fancy 
the change to rude log houses surrounded by an 
almost unbroken forest, and every supply of the 
most ordinary kind to be had only in Wilkes- 
Barre, 75 miles away. But here at least they 
were safe from Robespierre and the guillotine. 
So the real life began at Asylum. The thirty 
dwelling houses were not at all palatial nor in- 
deed such as a Parisian had ever dreamed of ; in 
fact, simply log houses, hewn logs to be sure, and 
sometimes shingled over. To the Yankees they 
seemed palaces with their extravagances in 
chimneys, doors, staircases, window glass, shut- 
ters and even piazzas and summer houses ; the 
latter a necessity for the French, accustomed to 
the beauties of Versailles and Petit Trianon. 
Some quaint little shops rose around the square, 
a small chapel, and, as soon as the necessary 
buildings were completed, a theatre. In the in- 
terior the houses had good floors, and as a rule 
were papered and very presentable, in fact the 
French people throughout their stay spent more 
on so-called luxuries than on necessities. A few 
had furniture and other articles brought from 
France, jealously hoarded even until to-day. 
(Some chairs from Talon's house, and a hand- 
some copper friar are now in the museum at 

—36— 



Athens, also a copper candlestick brought over 
by Lefevre.) > 

Talon, the head of the colony, with his love of 
order, resolute will and generous hospitality, 
seemed equal to every emergency. How his 
heart must have swelled with pleasure as he saw 
the little community, to which he had given his 
whole thought and energy for so many months, 
begin to take on a homelike and industrious air. 
How he must have rejoiced that through his 
efforts so many poor fugitives would know again 
the pleasures of home and the society of fellow 
countrymen, though their dearest ones were sep- 
arated from them for a time. And with what 
joyful anticipations he must have looked forward 
to the coming of the Queen, for it is generally ac- 
knowledged that it was for the Royal fugitives 
that this asylum was planned. It seems, how- 
ever, that the death of the King must have been 
known, or that he was never expected, for the 
houses built for royalty's use were always known 
as the "Queen's Houses." Besides the house, 
built by Talon in the town plot and afterward 
occupied by him, deep in the woods on the Loyal 
Sock road near West Terry or New Era, was 
begun a spacious house or^ two and a large bakery, 
and other buildings were planned ; these were in 
charge of Charles Homet and were intended for 
a hiding place for the Queen. Strange irony of 
fate, even before they were completed the un- 
happy Queen had followed her husband to the 
guillotine ! The suspension of intercourse be- 
tween France and America, and the arduous 

—37— 



journey between the colony and Philadelphia, ac- 
counts for the long delay in the sad news reach- 
ing the colony. 

The house built by Talon was the most pre- 
tentious in the settlement, and is said to 
have been the largest log house ever built 
in America. Elizabeth Laporte said her grand- 
father always called it ''the Queen's House;" 
but it is generally known as "La Grande Maison," 
or the great house, and is so called in all laborer's 
accounts. It was built of hewn logs with a plain 
sloping roof, shingled. There were no shingles 
on the sides. It was about 84 feet long and 60 
feet wide, two stories high, with a spacious attic. 
There were four stacks of chimneys and eight 
fireplaces on each floor. The windows were all 
square, with no hooded or dormer effects, small 
square panes of glass. There were heavy, solid 
wooden shutters on the windows. On each floor 
was a hall the entire length, from eight to twelve 
feet wide, with outside door at each end, with 
three rooms on the side facing the river and four 
on the other. The four rooms were of equal 
size. On the river side the middle room was 
twice the size of the others in length and extend- 
ed into the hall with double doors set crosswise 
on each corner, opposite each of which was a 
broad flight of stairs to the second story. In 
each end of this room were fireplaces, one much 
larger than the other. So large indeed that when 
it was used by the Laportes as a kitchen, oxen 
drew the back logs right into the room. The 
mantel was about as high as a man's head. In 

—38— 



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the center of the side was a double door with the 
upper half set with small panes of glass. Each side 
of this door were French windows, very large, 
opening from the floor nearly to the ceiling. Plain 
board ceiling was used instead of plaster for 
walls, most of the woodwork plain and unpainted, 
though the lower stairs had newell posts and rails 



^^m^^^^^s^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M^^^s^^^s^si^^^ 





'^^r^^MS^M^^m 



^m 



of black walnut. This house was built on lot 
No 418 and just north of the house now standing, 
built by Judge Laporte in 1839, now owned 
by the Hagerman family. It was torn down in 
1846 for fear of fire. Traces of the foundation 
are still in evidence. In this great house was 
dispensed the hospitality of the settlement. As 
long as it stood, the large room was called the 
French ladies' drawing room ; here doubtless 

—39— 



gathered all the famous visitors to the colony. 
Here perhaps were breathed oaths of loyalty to 
Louis Philippe, whom they hoped soon to see on 
the throne ! What brilliant conversation their 
walls echoed ! Alas, there has come down to us 
but two amusing little stories of the gatherings 
here. 

Though the winters were long and dreary the 
summer heat was far more fierce than ever known 
in " Belle Paris." The first time the writer ever 
heard of Asylum, when a little child she was rid- 
ing by with Chas. F. Welles of Wyalusing. 
After pointing out the location and the picnic 
rock, he added this anecdote told to him by one 
of the old pioneers. Entering the drawing room 
(^evidently unannounced) he found the great 
dames seated around the apartment, all complain- 
ing bitterly of the intense heat. Skirts were 
daintily lifted, while slave girls, seated on the 
floor, industriously plied fans to cool their mis- 
tresses' ankles ! 

At another time a great dinner was in progress 
in this room. Talon's butler, always too fond 
of the wine which he served, spilled some soup 
on a guest ; as he had been repeatedly repri- 
manded for similar offenses, his master's anger 
knew no bounds. Yet servants were not plenty 
in Asylum, so Talon called for his faithful friend 
and land steward, Laporte, and said " Will you 
serve as butler ? " Laporte protested, but Talon 
refused to forgive the offender, and the feast 
went on with the wine merchant serving in 
Wallois' place. 

—40— 



The only other house at all remembered was 
doubtless that of Boulogne, hastily built for ac- 
commodation of first comers. It was large, hav- 
ing twelve equal sized rooms on each floor, with 
a small fireplace in one corner of each, arranged 
for by three stacks of chimneys, one to each four 
rooms. This house, like that of Talon, was torn 
down. 

There is in existence an accurate description of 
another house in the settlement, by careless writ- 
ers often confounded with that of Talon. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SOPHIA de SIBERT AND GUI 
de NOAILLES. 

Made December 23, 1797 — both of Asylum. 

Miss Sibert bad purchased Nos. 416 & 417 of the Asylum 
Company and agrees with Gui de Noailles to convey the same 
— the property is described as containing the following im- 
provements: On No. 416 stands a log house 30x18 covered with 
nailed shingles, the house is divided into 2 lower rooms and 2 
in the upper story, the lower ones are papered, on both sides of 
the house stand two small buildings of the same kind, one is 
used for a kitchen, the other being papered is commonly called 
the dining room, both these buildings have good fire places 
and a half story. Three rooms in the biggest house have fire 
places, the two side buildings and the other are joined together 
by a piazza, there is a good cellar under the dining room, the 
yard is enclosed by a nailed pale fence and there is a good 
double gate, the garden has a like fence, a constant stream of 
water runs through it, over the spring a spring house has been 
erected, it is divided into two rooms one of which is floored, 
the garden is decorated by a considerable number of fruit 
trees, young Lombardy poplars and weeping willows, and by a 
lattice summer house, next to the garden is a nursery of about 
900 apples trees, the lower part of the lot forms a piece of 
meadow of about 8 acres inclosed by a post and rail fence, on 

—41— 

3 



the same lot no. 416 stands a horse grist mill, the building is 
40x34, part of the lower story is contrived into a stable for the 
mill horses and a cow stable — part of the upper story is used to 
keep fodder — the mill is double geered and in complete order 
being furnished with a pair of good stones, a good bolting 
cloth and in one corner stands a fire place. Above the mill 
runs a never failing spring which waters a great part of the 
meadow. On No. 417 stands a good log house 20x18 covered 
with nailed shingles which is used as a barn but might be in- 
habited as there are two good grooved floors and a winding 
staircase. The lower part is under the best fence well cleared, 
and part of it was put last fall in winter grain, &C 
(Signed) 
Witnessed by 

Peter Regnier Bercy de Seibert 

Joseph Delaroue (or Delarony) 
Recorded at Wilkes-Barre, Vol. 5, p 260 of Deeds records 

Talon devoted much time and attention to the 
roads, and is said to have spent $3,000 on them in 
one year. His best work of this sort was the one 
leading to Laddsburg, still known as the old 
French road. Doubtless more labor was expended 
on this because it led to the proposed hiding place 
for the queen. 

A wharf was built for loading boats, and a ferry 
established, as the Sullivan trail (about the only 
road) was on the opposite side of the river. A 
horse-power mill was constructed, as the nearest 
grist mill was at Wilkes-Barre. The nearest post 
office was at Wilkes-Barre also; therefore the 
Asylum settlers established a weekly express to 
Philadelphia by a messenger traveling on horse- 
back; this was maintained for several years. 

Talon and de Noailles, finding themselves un- 
able to provide funds, were released from 

—42— 



their contract by Messrs. Morris and Nichol- ^^ 

son; and by the new arrangements became 
partners with them. Talon was then made 
agent of the company at a given salary of $3,000, 
and the continued use of the house already occu- 
pied by him. This company being also unable to 
fulfill its engagements, Talon resigned as agent 
and sold out his share. It seems pitiful that one 
so ardent and interested, from ignorance of lan- 
guage, and want of practice in this kind of busi- 
ness, should thus have been "deprived of the 
most exquisite happiness an enlightened French- 
man can enjoy — of becoming the founder of a 
colony which would have proved as honorable to 
the name of a Frenchman, as useful to the un- 
fortunate sufferers whom it would have re- 
ceived." Judge Stevens, writing to Charles 
Miner in 1824, said of Talon : 

" He practically gave soul life and energy to the settlement 
— with him it rose and continued, and when he withdrew it 
fell. That is its decline began and has continued to the pres- 
ent time. He brought large sums of money into the U. S. and 
was benevolent and liberal in the extreme. Not exactly know- 
ing the worth of labor he was frequently imposed upon and 
paid in many instances for jobs five times more than work was 
worth, but after all he benefitted many of the citizens very- 
much. It is said besides the money expended at Asylum he 
lost in London $10,000, and in Brussels 46,000 guineas. When 
he heard of this he called together all his dependants and told 
them he must abandon the settlement. When he withdrew, 
they withered like vegetation without nourishment." 

It accords somewhat with a story told by Bar- 
tholemew Laporte to his grandchild, that the 
founders of the colony had left most of their 

—43— 



funds in Europe, and that when thev sent back 
for them, all had been confiscated, and so the set- 
tlement could not be carried on as first planned. 
It may be interesting to introduce here some 
brief extracts from journals of John Keating, 
never before published : 

"I sailed from Cape Francis at the end of November 1793 
on board a brig with M. de Blacon. We got up to Philadel- 
phia the eve of Christmas vi'hich was then kept very strictly. 
We were received at the widow Papley'? the day after Christ- 
mas. We soon met with Messrs Talon, Vote, de Noailles and 
other emigrants. I landed with less than $300 and knew no 
one. A plan was soon set on foot for the formation of a set- 
tlement on the North Branch of the Susquehanna a spot for a 
town was chosen and the name of Asylum given. Mr. Robert 
Morris was to give the land, his son to be paid for it in Europe. 
Notwithstanding the eagerness with which the plan was adopt- 
ed and the considerable sums expended the settlement gradual- 
ly decreased — the great majority of the settlers was not calcu- 
lated for it. Minute details of it are to be seen in the Duke de 
Liancourt's travels." 

(Translated from French.) 
"A short time after my arrival in America I made the ac- 
quaintance of M. Talon, a former civil lieutenant in Paris, 
whom the Revolution had made seek an asylum in the new 
world ; foreseeing that he might there occupy himself in an 
agreeable manner, and at the same time useful to his interests. 
He bought lands, or at least made arrangements to do so, he 
associated me in his plans without ever having known me, but 
only on that which he had heard said of me. Without enter- 
ing into details on this subject, suffice it to say that soon after 
a company was formed called Asylum after the name that had 
been given to a locality situated on the east branch of the 
Susquehanna in Pennsylvania. (I accompanied Talon 
thither, there we spent much time together;) the business re- 
quired meanwhile frequent trips to Philadelphia where I made 
several good acquaintances. The affairs of the Asylum Co. 

—44— 



not promising great profits, and the funds of Talon disappear- 
ing fast, he resolved to go over to Europe to dispose of some 
lands of which the sale had been entrusted to him, and also to 
straighten out his affairs. Having succeeded in Holland in 
effecting a purchase of the lands, he came back in July, 1792, 
with power to conclude it, and terminated this affair at the 
close of the year, and returned again to Europe in the month 
of February following, i. e. Feb 1797." 

This last paragraph would indicate that Talon 
had to do with the syndicate who were back of 
the so-called " Holland Land Co." 

Among John Keating's papers is an inter- 
esting contract drawn January 5, 1797, where- 
by Talon and one Richard Gernon arrange 
to purchase 287,482 acres in Lycoming 
Co. of William Bingham ; evidently a part 
of the famous Bingham lands. The paper in- 
dicates Talon's intended departure, John Keat- 
ing being given power of attorney during his 
absence. This time he did not return, and soon 
became again interested in political intrigue. In 
1804 he was banished for being implicated in a 
plot against Napoleon, and was actually impris- 
oned for three years. This proving too great a 
mental strain he became insane and died in 
1811. 

A picture of life at Asylum is well drawn by 
the Duke de la Rochef oucauld-T jancourt, a French 
nobleman who traveled up the Susquehanna in 
1795, and published a journal of his travels, which 
may be found in the library of the Pennsylvania 
Historical Society, and doubtless in some of our 
large public libraries. 

After mentioning its situation, and the fact 

—45— 



that Talon and de Noailles soon found they were 
richer in hopes than in cash, and that they suffer- 
ed from ignoi'ance of the language, and want of 
practice in business of this nature, he says: 

This is a brief sketch of the history of Asylum. There 
cannot remain a doubt but that this establishment, the plan of 
which is certainly the work of much deliberation, would have 
proved more successful had it been formed by degrees and with 
a sufficient supply of ready money. For notwithstanding the 
errors committed in the execution of the plan and the adverse 
incidents it has met with, Asylum has already attained an un- 
common degree of perfection, considering its infant state. 
Thirty houses built in this town are inhabited by families from 
St. Domingo and from France, by French artisans, and even by 
Americans. Some inns and two shops have been established, 
the business of which is considerable. Several town shares 
have been put into very good condition; and the fields and 
gardens begin to be productive. A considerable quantity of 
ground has been cleared on the creek Loyalsock, where the 
company has allotted 25,000 acres of land, in part of a hundred 
thousand acres, which the inhabitants of Asylum have pur- 
chased by subscription. Similar agricultural operations, which 
take place in almost every town share, are intended to enliven 
at once all the different parts of this large tract of land. The 
town shares consist each of 400 acres from 10 to 20 of which 
are cleared. The owner can therefore either settle there him- 
self at the end of the year, or entrust it to a farmer. The 
clearing of the town shares is, at present, effected by subscrip- 
tion on this principle : that for every acre that belongs to a 
subscriber who has cleared ] acres, five of which only are en- 
closed with fences, $9 are paid. M. de MontuUe, one of the 
inhabitants of Asylum, directs this clearing of the ground ; the 
plan of which he conceived for the welfare of the colony. The 
sentiments of the colonists are good. Every one follows his 
business, the cultivator as well as the inn-keeper and trades- 
man, with as much zeal and exertion as if he had been brought 
up to it. The soil is tolerably good, the climate healthful. 

—46— 



Almost all the ingredieats of a thriving colony concur in Asy- 
lum, and afford room to hope that these great natural advan- 
tages will in time be improved for the benefit and prosperity of 
the colonists. A new trading company has superceded the 
former ; at least, the firm and naanagement of the company's 
concerns have been altered. Mr. Robert Morris has entirely 
left it, and Mr. Nicholson being now the only proprietor, has 
formed a bank of his million of acres, divided into 5,000 shares 
containing each 200 acres, the price of which at $2.50 per acre 
is $500. They bear six per cent interest, which increases in 
proportion to the state of the land; and at the expiration of 15 
years, the period of which the company is to be dissolved, all 
the benefits and advantages accruing to the bank, are to be di- 
vided among the holders of the shares. An office has been es- 
tablished by the latter, for the direction and management of the 
concerns of the bank. 

This new company, taught by the errors of the former, will, 
no doubt, make it their principal business to promote the pros- 
perity of Asylum, which alone, can, in any considerable man- 
ner, increase the value of the land. Yet some sacrifices will 
also be required for that purpose. It will be necessary to con- 
struct new roads and repair the old ones. Encouragement must 
also be given to the families, which already inhabit Asylum ; 
and advantageous offers must be held out to such as may be 
disposed to settle here. If these things be done. Asylum will 
soon be peopled. Motives arising from French manners and 
opinions have hitherto prevented even French families from 
settling here. These are now in great measure removed, and 
if the company shall proceed with judgment and prudence, as 
is to be hoped they will, there can hardly remain a doubt but 
that Asylum will speedily become a place of importance. Its 
situation on the Susquehanna, 200 miles from its source, fits it 
in a peculiar manner for an emporium of the inland trade. 
French activity, supported with money, will certainly accel- 
erate its growth ; and this will doubtless in time convince the 
world that the enterprise and assiduity of Frenchmen are equal- 
ly conspicuous in prosperous and adverse circumstances. 

The following families have either already settled, or intend 

—47— 



to settle at Asylum, viz: 1. M. de Blacons, deputy for Dau- 
phinfi, in the constituent assembly. Since his quitting France, 
he has married Madamoiselle de Maulde, late canoness to the 
chapter of Bonbourg. They keep a haberdasher's shop. Their 
partner is M. Colin, formerly Abbg de SevignS, archdeacon of 
Tours, and conseiller au grand conseil. 3. M. de Montule, 
late captain of a troop of horse, married to a lady of St. Do- 
mingo, who resides at present at Pottsgrove. 3. Madame de 
Sybert, cousin to M. de Montulg and relict of a rich planter of 
St. Domingo. 4. M. Becdelliferre, formerly a canon, now a 
shop-keeper ; his partners are the two Messrs. de la Roue, one 
of whom was formerly a petit gens-d'armes and the other a 
captain of infantry. The latter has married a sister of Mad- 
ame Sybert. 5. Mademoiselle de Bercy, who intends to estab- 
lish an inn on the road from Asylum to Loyalsock, eight miles 
from the former place, whither she is on the point of removing 
with her husband. 6. M. Beaulieu, formerly a captain of in- 
fantry in the French service, who served in America during the 
late war in the legion of Potosky. He has remained ever since 
in this country, has married an English lady and new keeps an 
inn. 7. M. Buzard, a planter of St. Domingo and physician 
in that colony, who has settled in Asylum with his wife, 
daughter and son, and some negroes, the remains of his for- 
tune. 8. M. de Noailles, a planter of St. Domingo. 9. M. 
Dandelot of Franchecomte, late an officer of infantry, who left 
France on account of the Revolutitm and arrived here desti- 
tute of property, but was kindly received by Mr. Talon, and is 
now engaged in agricultural pursuits with spirit and success. 
10. M. du Petit Thouars, an officer of the navy, who, encour- 
aged by the constituent assembly and assisted by a subscrip- 
tion, embarked in an expedition in quest of M. de la Peroufe. 
He was detained on the coast of Brazil by the governor of the 
colony, Fernando de Noriguez, and sent with his crew to Por- 
tugal, where he was very ill-treated by the Portuguese govern- 
ment, stripped of all his property, and only escaped farther 
persecution by fleeing to America, where he lives free and hap- 
py, without property, yet without want. He is employed in 
clearing about 200 or 300 acres of land, which have been pre- 

—48— 



sented to him. His sociable, mild, yet truly original temper 
and character, are set off by a noble simplicity of manner. 
11. M. Nores, a young gentleman, who embarked with M. Du • ■^■' 

Petit Thouars, and escaped with him to this country. He for- 
merly wore the petit collet (the petit collet or little ba.nd was 
formerly a distinguishing mark of the secular clergy in 
France), was a pupil of M. de la Chapelle, possessor of a small 
priory and now earns his subsistence by cultivating the ground. 
13. John Keating, an Irishman, and late captain of the regi- 
ment of Welsh. At the beginning of the Revolution he was 
in St. Domingo, where he possessed the confidence of all the 
parties, but refused the most tempting offers of the commis- 
sioners of the assembly, though his sentiments were truly Dem- 
ocratic. It was his choice and determination to retire to Amer- 
ica without a shilling in his pocket, rather than to acquire 
power and opulence in St. Domingo by violating his first oath. 
He is a man of uncommon merit, distinguished abilities, extra- 
ordinary virtue and invincible disinterestedness. His deport- 
ment is grave, yet affable. His advice and prudence have 
proved extremely serviceable to M. Talon in every department 
of his business. It was he who negotiated the arrangements 
between Messrs. Morris and Nicholson; and it may be justly 
said that the confidence, which his uncommon abilities and 
virture inspire, enables him to adjust matters of dispute with 
much greater facility than most other persons. 13. M. Renaud 
and family. He is a rich merchant of St. Domingo, who has '^ 
just arrived with very considerable property, preserved from 
the wreck of an immense fortune. 14. M. Carles, a priest and 
canon of Guernsey, who retired to America with a small for- 
tune and who has now settled at Asylum ; he is an industrious 
and much respected farmer. 15. M. Brevost a citizen of 
Paris, celebrated for his benevolence; he was a member of all 
benevolent societies, treasurer of the philanthropic society, and 
retired to America with some property, a considerable part of 
which he expended on a settlement, which he attempted to es- 
tablish on the banks of the Chenango, but which did not 
eventually succeed. He now cultivates his lot of ground on 
the Loyalsock, as if his whole life had been devoted to the 

—49— 



same pursuit; and the cheerful serenity of a gentle, candid, 
philosophical mind still attends him in his laborious retreat. 
His wife and sister-in-law, who have also settled here, share in 
his tranquility and his hajjpiness. 16. Madame d'A.utremont, 
with her three children. She is the widow of a steward (?) of 
Paris. Two of her sons are grown up ; one was a notary and 
the other a watchmaker; but they have now become hewers of 
wood and tillers of the ground, and secure by their zeal, spirit, 
politeness and unblemished character the sympathy and respect 
of every feeling mind. 

Some families of artisans are also established at Asylum ; and 
such as conduct themselves properly earn great wages. This 
cannot be said of the greatest part of them. They are, in 
general, very indifferent workmen and much addicted to drunk- 
enness. In time, they will be superseded by more valuable 
men; and American families of a better description will settle 
here; for those who reside at present at Asylum are scarcely 
worth keeping. 

One of the greatest impediments to the prosperity of this 
settlement will probably arise from the prejudices of some 
Frenchmen against the Americans, unless self-interest and rea- 
son should prove the means of removing them. These are fre- 
quently manifested with that inconsiderate levity, with which 
Frenchmen in general decide on things and persons of the 
greatest moment; some of them vauntingly declare that they 
will never learn the language of the country, or enter into con- 
versation with an American. Whether particular facts and 
occurrences can justify this prejudice in regard to individuals, 
I will not affirm; but certain it is, that they can never justify 
it in the latitude of a general opinion. A conduct founded on 
such prejudices would prove extremely hurtful to the interests 
of the colony ; the progi'ess of which has been already retard- 
ed by so many unavoidable obstacles, that there certainly is no 
occasion to create new ones by purposely exciting the animosi- 
ty of a people, among whom the colony has been formed, and 
who, in the judgment of every impartial man, must be con- 
sidered as in a state of less degeneracy than many European 
nations. 

—50— 



The real farmers who reside at Asylum live, upon the whole, 
on very good terras with each other ; being duly sensible that 
harmony is requisite, to render their situation comfortable and 
happy. They possess no considerable property, and their way 
of life is simple. M. Talon lives in a manner somewhat more 
splendid, as he is obliged to maintain a number of persons to 
whom his assistance was indispensable. 

It is to be wished and hoped that the whole settlement may 
prove ultimately successful. A more convenient spot might, 
doubtless, have been chosen. But not to mention that, all ex 
post facto judgments are unfair, the present situation of the 
colony appearing so advantageous as to warrant the most san- 
guine hopes of success. Industrious families, however, without 
whom no settlement can prosper, must be invited to it ; for it 
must be considered that, however polished its present inhabit- 
ants may be, the gentlemen cannot so easily dispense with the 
assistance of the artisan and the husbandman, as these can with 
that of the gentleman. 

A speedy adjustment of the present differences between Con- 
necticut aud Pennsylvania, with respect to the estates contigu- 
ous to the lands of Asylum, would also prove a desirable and 
fortunate circumstance for this colony. None but persons of 
indifferent character are willing to settle on ground, the title to 
which remains a matter of dispute. Even the small number of 
colonists we found between Wilkes-Barre and Tioga are by no 
means praiseworthy in their morals ; and they are poor, lazy, 
drunken, quarrelsome, and extremely negligent in the culture 
of their lands. The valuable emigrants from New England 
from the eastern branch of the Susquehanna, who should be 
encouraged to settle here, will certainly not make their appear- 
ance, till they can be sure of cultivating their lands without 
opposition, and of retaining the undisturbed possession of their 
estates. It is therefore of the greatest importance to the com- 
pany of Asylum, that this weighty business should be speedily 
and finally adjusted. When that is accomplished, the company 
will doubtless embrace the earliest opportunity of advertising 
the whole million acres ; they will endeavor to combine sepa- 
rate estates with each other, by purchasing the intervening 

—51— 



lands, they will make public their right of property, pursue a 
well concerted general plan, execute it with the requisite care 
and dispatch, and make the necessary sacrifices. They will per- 
ceive how advantageous and important it is to place Asylum, 
as it were, in full activity by constructing the roads already 
projected and commenced, by establishing a school, by inviting 
industrious settlers and by endeavoring to meliorate the breeds 
of horses and cattle; in short, by encouraging useful establish- 
ments of every kind. A few hundreds of dollars laid out here 
properly would produce the most considerable and lasting im- 
provements. In such cases, however, it is requisite to calculate 
well, that we may expend judiciously. By prudent and liberal 
measures, the prosperity of this French colony, and conse- 
quently of the company, would be essentially insured and pro- 
moted. And when this settlement shall have once ripened into 
a flourishing state, it will serve to connect the country, which 
is already cultivated along the banks of the river, above and 
below Asylum, and thus prove a source of animation, to this 
interesting part of Pennsylvania. But, unless active and judi- 
cious measures be pursued, Asylum will inevitably suffer from 
the partial inconveniences which attend its situation, and from 
the errors committed in the first formation of this colony ; and 
instead of attaining to the wished for prosperity, it must, on 
the contrary, find its decline, if not downfall, in the very na- 
ture of its establishment. 

Everything in this settlement, at present, appears in a preca- 
rious condition. The price of provision depends on a variety 
of fluctuating circumstances. By the activity and prudence of 
certain individuals, the town is abundantly supplied with grain 
and meat, and this honest economy keeps provision at a moder- 
ate price. But men of a less liberal way of thinking have it also 
in their power to occasion scarcity of the first necessaries of 
life, and raise their price to a rate beyond all proportion to that 
of other commodities. The information, which I have been 
able to collect relative to the state of agriculture, however accu- 
rate at the present moment, can hardly be thought sufficient for 
the direction of a planter, who should incline to settle here; I 
shall, however, lay it before my readers such as it is. 

—52— 



The land behind the town is tolerably good ; but that on the 
banks of the river consists of excellent meadows, laid out by 
families who settled here before the present colonists, produc- 
ing vei'y good hay, pretty considerable in quantity, and they 
are capable of still farther improvements. The soil of Loyal- 
sock is, in general, excellent. Many trees grow there, which 
evinces its goodness, such as the white Virginian walnut tree, 
white oak, plane tree, sugar maple and hemlock fir. It is a 
circumstance worthy of notice, that half way between Loyal- 
sock and Asylum, common oak, which in the fields about the 
latter place is found in abundance, becomes at once so scarce 
that not 200 oak trees grow in the whole district of Loyalsock, 
which contains 3,500 acres. The price of the company's land 
is at present $3.50 per acre; very little, however, is sold. That 
of the town of Asylum fetches little more; although there is 
little doubt that the price will raise gradually to flO. The 
land contiguous to Asylum, which does«not belong to the com- 
pany, being at present in an unsettled state with respect to right 
of property, this circumstance renders it a very undesirable 
possession for such settlers as do not wish to expose themselves 
to the danger of subsequent litigations, and consequently to 
being dispossessed of their purchases. Hitherto the grain ap- 
pears to have suffered but little from the Hessian fly and from 
blights. The winter lasts here from four and a half to five 
months. Agriculture, however, has hitherto advanced so slow- 
ly that the cattle suffer much during that season for want of 
fodder. They are for the most part fed with turnips, geurds 
an& straw of Indian corn. Both oxen and cows are of a very 
indifferent sort, as little attention has been paid to the breed of 
cattle broi^ght hither by the settlers. Both seed time and har- 
vest take place here about a fortnight later than in the vicinity 
of Philadelphia. The land yields about 15 or 30 bushels of 
wheat, 60 bushels of Indian corn and three tons of hay per acre. 
The soil seems naturally better adapted for meadows than for 
corn land ; but from the little trouble attending the driving of 
the cattle into the forest, the produce in corn is rather appar- 
ently great than so in fact. In ploughing they generally employ 
oxen, which, it should be observed, are not subject to any par- 

—53— 



ticular disease. They are at times driven to Philadelphia ; and 
the country people frequently act here with so little judgment, 
as even to send them 200 miles off, when they might obtain 
much better prices, and even ready money, in the neighbor- 
hood. The bullocks, which are consumed in Asylum, are gen- 
erally brought from the back settlements, but it is frequently 
found necessary to send thither for them. They are generally 
plentiful ; the uncommon duration of the last winter, however, 
proved so destructive to the cattle that few are now to be seen, 
and a great scarcity of beef prevails at Asylum as well as in 
various other parts of America. 

The grain, which is not consumed in Asylum, finds a market 
in Wilkes-Barre and is transported thither on the river. In the 
same manner all kinds of merchandise are conveyed from Phil- 
adelphia to Asylum. They are carried in wagons as far as Har- 
risburg, and thence sent in barges up the river. The freight 
amounts, in the whole,«to $3 per cwt. The salt comes from the 
salt houses at Genesee, on the lake of Ontario. Flax is pro- 
duced in the country about Asylum ; and the soil is very fit for 
producing crops of that commodity. Maple sugar is made here 
in great abundance. Each tree is computed to yield upon an 
average from two pounds and a half to three a year. Molasses 
and vinegar are also prepared here. I have seen Messrs. De 
Vilaine and Dandelot make sugar in this place, which much 
surpasses any of the same kind that has hitherto come under 
my observation. A considerable quantity of tar is also made, 
and sold for $4 per barrel containing 33 gallons. Day laborers 
are paid at the rate of five shillings a day. M. de Montulg em- 
ploys workmen from the eastern branch of the river to clear his 
land ; to these he pays half a dollar a day, besides allowing 
them their victuals ; the overseer receives a dollar and a third 
per day; these people turn out to be very good workmen. 
They are easily procured, when employment is ensured to them 
for any length of time ; but otherwise it is very difficult to ob- 
tain them. The manufacture of potashes has also been com- 
menced at Asylum, and it is in contemplation to attempt the 
brewing of malt liquor. A corn mill and a saw mill are build- 
ing on the Loyalsock. 

—54— 



The foregoing is a brief sketch of the present state of this in- 
teresting settlement, which even a twelve months hence will no 
longer retain its present features. To judge from the actual 
condition of the probable progress and duration of this infant 
colony, it must either rise or fall rapidly. It is to be hoped 
that the want of familiarity to the original in my description, 
which may be observable next year in the colony, will arise 
from its rapid progress toward maturity, and this hope is 
grounded on probable appearances. 

Tuesday, the 2d of June. On our arrival at Asylum, it was 
not our intention to have stopped more than four days in that 
place. But the pleasure of meeting with M. and Madame de 
Blacons, a desire to obtain a thorough knowledge of the pres- 
ent state of the colony, as well as of its prospects of future im- 
provement; and the cordial reception we experienced from all 
its inhabitants induced us to add four days to our stay, and in 
the whole we stopped twelve days. On Tuesday, the 2d of 
June, we at length took our departure. Messrs. de Blacons and 
DuPetit Thenars joined our caravan ; the latter, who travelled 
on foot, had set out the preceding evening. 

The Dake says the little shops flourished 
" rather to the detriment of those at the nearest 
settlement, Tioga Point." Religious services 
were conducted in the log chapel by M. Fromen- 
tin and M. Carles. Some marriages occurred 
there. Some one of the emigres brought with 
them a beautiful illuminated missal which was 
used in the services. This missal was given to 
Laporte ; his son Judge Laporte gave it to Father 
Toner, a priest ministering in Towanda fifty 
years ago. Recently when inquiry was made it 
was learned that Father Toner carried it to Rome 
and presented it to the Vatican museum. 

A grist mill run by horse power was built (the 
first in Bradford County). It is said that one of 

—55— 



the ladies gave her silk dress for bolting cloth. 

In 1794 Louis Lefevre was licensed to keep an 
inn in Asylum ; in 1Y95 Heraud, the partner of 
Laporte, obtained a similar license and in 1797 
Regnier and Becdelliere, The latter also kept 
store near where Miller's house now is, and 
among the earliest recollections of Abraham 
Vanderpool (born in 1796) was Mr. B's kindness 
to him in giving him raisins and candy. He says 
"I thought he was a very fine old man." At a 
later period John B. Rosett and Jos. Doyle were 
engaged in mercantile business, removing to 
Wilkes-Barre in 1804. 

Louis Lefevre's inn seems to have been on east 
side of river opposite Frenchtown, or else he had 
two. Aubrey was a blacksmith, probably a 
Frenchman. There are no records by which one 
can determine just how many French people 
lived at Asylum at its height, and there is no list 
of names of all settlers. There were a few births 
of which writer has no record except of John La- 
porte ; there were also a few deaths and one sui- 
cide, as related by Yankee settlers It is not known 
that there are in existence any letters or papers 
bearing on Asylum, except those recorded in this 
volume, at the best all too meagre. Those who 
returned to France, or some of them, gave ac- 
counts of the Susquehanna Valley which later 
attracted thither various French families whose 
descendants still live in Bradford County ; notably 
Piollet and Delpeuch. 

One of the most charming and picturesque 
characters at the time of the Duke's visit, was 

—56— 




'^i^^OK^^ 




[This authentic portrait was obtained from the Biblioth&que 
Nationale, Rue de Richelieu, Paris, April, 1903. 



Aristide Aubert dupetit Thouars, familiarly called 

^^yy^^hf^ ^ al." He was 

Cf If <S^ ^ "^ " ^ born in 1760, 
was educated in the military school at Paris, and a 
captain in the navyduringthe war with England. 
Always enthusiastic over "Robinson Crusoe," 
and becoming interested in the fate of the miss- 
ing navigator, la Perouse, he fitted out an ex- 
pedition himself to find and rescue the lost ad- 
venturers, he and his brother selling their patri- 
mony for the purpose. It was an unfortunate 
undertaking : many of his crew were carried off 
by sickness ; his ship was seized by the Portu- 
guese, and he was imprisoned for some time. On 
his release he at once came to America, and was 
induced by M. de Noailles to go to Asylum. 

Like most of the refugees, he had arrived in 
this country penniless, but Talon and de Noailles, 
doubtless attracted by his youth, brilliancy and 
Spartan disposition, contrived to aid the young 
man by giving him an opportunity to be useful, 
thus avoiding the appearance of charity. This is 
very evident from the many laborers accounts 
signed by him, showing that he shared with 
Boulogne the supervision of erecting buildings, 
fences, &c., and seems also to have had charge of 
potash making. 

But, though proud to a fault, his whole 
life is a record of quick sympathy, unselfish 
ness and generosity. He was a welcome 
guest among his fellow refugees, but, he soon 
chose solitude and hardship in place of the gaiety 

—57— 
4 



and idleness of the little colony. Though he had 
but one arm, he attempted to make a clearing in 
the heart of the forest, and came into the town 
only when in need of supplies ; he never forgot 
that he was a soldier, and simplicity was a card- 
dinal virtue with him. So he lived alone in the 
forest (on the spot that now bears his name 
Americanized, Dushore). How far removed in 
appearance as in reality from the beautiful old 
chateau de Bonmois near Saumur where he was 
born and where the family still live. 

When the Duke left Asylum en route for Ni- 
agara, he invited dupetit Thenars to accompany 
him ; he accepted, but, too poor to own a horse and 
too proud to borrow one, he walked the whole 
distance, claiming he preferred walking to riding. 

Many delightful anecdotes of ''the Admiral" 
have been handed down by word of mouth to the 
present generation. Perhaps there is none more 
amusing or more characteristic of the man than 
the following: Coming through the woods one 
day from his clearing, he met a man nearly 
naked, who told him he had just escaped from 
captivity among the Indians. The generous 
young Frenchman at once doffed his only shirt 
and insisted on its acceptance by his poorer 
neighbor ; and buttoning up his coat to conceal 
his own destitution, proceeded to the mansion at 
Asylum. That night at dinner, someone of 
his friends rallied him upon his punctiliousness 
in keeping himself buttoned so closely, in spite 
of the summer heat. The Captain parried the 
thrust by quick repartee, and it was not until the 

—58— 




[This portrait, obtained ia Paris in 1897, may be of Aubert 
also, but it is not authenticated.] 



accidental arrival of the beneficiary of his bounty 
(said to have been a Canadian refugee), that the 
truth of the matter was discovered and he vp-as 
supplied with the needed article. So much was 
his pride respected, that whenever his wardrobe 
needed replenishing his friends replaced the worn 
article secretly to spare his mortification. 

This noble man returned to France under the 
decree of Napoleon and applied once more for a 
place in the navy. '' You have but one hand," said 
the minister, "you ought to go on the retired list 
and not the active." Dupetit Thouars replied, 
" True sir, I have given one hand to France, but 
here is another for her service." Soon after, in 
the expedition to Egypt, he was placed in com- 
mand of "La Tonnant," an old vessel. 

When the enemy was met, he declared the sit- 
uation unfavorable, but said that he should nail 
his colors to the mast. He fought courageously 
and it is related that when his only arm and one leg 
were shot away by cannon balls, he asked to be 
be thrown overboard, since he could no longer 
serve his country and did not wish to remain on 
deck an encumbrance to discourage the crew. 
He died at the close of the engagement. Brave 
Admiral, the lovely valley of the Susquehanna 
was blessed by your presence surely ! 

Asylum knew many other distinguished visit- 
ors. Talleyrand was there for some time in 1Y95, 
and in 1T96, Louis Philippe, afterward King of 
France, accompanied by his brothers, the Duke 
Montpensier and the Count Beaujolais, tarried 
awhile on their way from Niagara to Philadelphia,. 

—59— 



also General Ternant, ambassador to the United 
States. 

Bright spots their visits in the dull routine of 
life at Asylum, links with a happy past ; the vol- 
atile nature of the French asserted itself, and the 
hours were spent in feasting, rejoicing and hunt- 
ing ; or, were the weather pleasant, all repaired 
to the dancing pavilion on Prospect Rock, where 
were held out of door fetes, souvenirs of Trianon, 
doubtless the first picnics in America. 

Though discontented with their surroundings, 
and disappointed in the death of the Queen (the 
news of which was more than tardy in reaching 
the settlement), yet the French amused them- 
selves as best they could, to the disgust of the 
Americans around them. 

One of the present (1895) oldest inhabitants of 
Asylum still tells that when his father felled a 
tree, they would ask him to put it across a stump 
that they might while away the hours ' ' teeter 
tautering," paying an equivalent of 10 shillings for 
every teeter. He also says they would send his 
father miles out of the way to cut down trees so 
they could get a good view of the valley. 

Judge Stevens says : 

"Their amusements consisted in riding, walking, swinging, 
musick (& perhaps dancing) and sometimes they passed their 
time with cards, chess or the Back Gammon Board. In their 
maners they were courteous, Polite & affable. In their living 
they followed the French customs. Breakfasted late on Coffee 
Fresh Meat Bread & butter — Dined at 4 o-clock, Drank best 
wine or Brandy, after dinner. Ladies and gentlemen who 
chose drank Tea at evening. I speak of the wealthy, they were 
able to command the best of everything. 

—60— 



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" To conclude, the Frencli who constituted the settlement at 
Asylum consisted of 4 different classes of people ; some of the 
Nobility, and Gentlemen of the Court of Louis 16 — several of 
the Clergy, a few Mechanics and a number of the Labouring 
class, all of whom were entirely ignorant of the customs of the 
country, of the method of clearing and cultivating the soil, of 
keeping or working cattle, of Building houses, of making 
roads, and in fact of everything relating to the settlement of a 
new country. Also ignorant of our language which prevented 
them from obtaining information, and many labouring people 
of the country took advantage of ignorance and want of ex- 
perience, and charged twice and in some instances 4 times the 
value of the labour." 

None of the colonists were fitted to be settlers 
in a forest. Mr. Craft says: "In chopping a 
tree they cut on all sides while one watched to 
see where it would fall, that they might escape 
being struck." Nevertheless they began numer- 
ous clearings or " choppings " as they were call- 
ed by the later settlers. There were ten quite 
well defined in Albany and Tenny townships. The 
accompanying letter will give a good idea of the 
colony in this respect. The writer was youDg and 
not well versed in English. 

(Letter from Alexander d'Autremont to Chas. Boulogne.) 

Asylum July 20th 1795. 

Mr. Boulogne 
Sir 

we have received the news of your arrival here with all the 
joy which you may easily presume it could give us, but our joy 
would have been more felt if the circumstances in which we 
find ourselves would not force us to quit a place where we have 
been so cruelly deceived & so unhappy & that in the very 
moment we hear you have fixed your residence at Asylum. 

from the very beginning of this letter you'll say it is the cry- 
ing bird who writes to me. but could it be possible to look on 

—61— 



our situation with indifference Indebted as we are to you with- 
out forseeing when we will be able to pay. in such an horrid 
country as this where we dayly make an extravagant expense 
by the high price of all kinds of provisions and all that with- 
out any benefit whatsoever even success, to our work, for, after 
having spent much money for the portage of our effects on 
these lands we shall Ije obliged to transport them again to the 
town, on account of the impossibility in which we are to live 
this winter in the woods for want of land in sufl3.cient quantity 
sowed to provide even for our cattle. 

In my last handed to you by Mr. Keating I mentioned to you 
that the clearing was going on very slowly that Mr. De 
Montullg had made an undertaking above his strength, and 
that from the way they were going on it appeared we should 
have nothing sowed this summer, my fears unluckily have been 
verified, for in the whole tract there are yet only 10 acres clear- 
ed by Brown's company of workmen 5 of which belong to Mr. 
De MontuUg & 5 acres to Mr. Brevost, the latter are not even 
ready, the logs not being yet burnt. 

You'll be able to judge & frightened at the same time of the 
obstacles the settlers have to overcome on these new lands when 
you'll know that the clearing of an acre cost to the company 
near 30 Dollars, to give you an idea thereof you may easily cal- 
culate. There is a company of ten men who are at work since 
the beginning of May on Mr. de Laroue's land, who will have 
nearly done in 15 days, and all that time to clear between 11 
& 12 acres of ground, from that it appears to me that Mr. de 
Laroue's clearing will come to 36 Dollars thereabout per acre 
everybody here is disgusted, every body talks of quitting, even 
Mr. de MontuUS who says that if he could get one or 2 shillings 
proffit on his purchase per acre he would give up all Ideas of 
settling in this Country 

Come Sir, Come very quick, come to reestablish confidence 
for it is terribly low every where ; your arrival will doubtless 
cheer up many people, as for us except the pleasure of seeing 
you it is almost impossible that your residence here (our 
only wish last spring) could make us support with patience 
our misfortunes, it is high time for us not to trouble you an y 

—63— 



more of Individuals that have always weighed very heavy upon 
you without being able to show you their gratitude 

Dont believe that my complaints & the resolution which my 
family hath taken of quitting for ever this country are the re- 
sultat of inconstanty or levity of our minds, but come here 
very soon, see & Judge yourself of our situation & Mr. Brevost 
is in the same resolution 

if I was alone far from complaining of my situation I would 
Laught at it, but I have a mother who begins to be old whom I 
cannot leave to herself, therefore I pass my yong Days in an 
occupation which will never give me a penny's proffit ; all that 
I foresee for me is to be for ever ruined & remain in the im- 
possibility of doing any thing if I continue to stay on Land 
that cost 30 Dollars per acre for clearing 

besides my personnal sorrows I must answer for a sum Due 
by the Company to one Fuller for some wheat which hath been 
delivered and not paid to him ; he hath obtained a Writ against 
me as having contracted with him; all I could obtain was a 
Delay which will be at end the 18th of august. . the sum 
amounts to 4 pounds 

Esq^® Gore hath in his hands for 60 or 70 Dollars of your 
notes of hands, he remitted me a letter which herein inclosed 
in which he explains the matter 

if you have not sold your farm near Philadelphia and if you 
have not engaged a farmer, & if it could suit you to take my 
family as farmer I would accept with pleasure. 

Waiting for the pleasure of seeing you or hearing from you 

I remain 

D'autremont jr. 

When Napoleon invited the return to France 
of the emigres, none were more pleased than 
those at Asylum. When the postman brought 
the news he waved his hat and shouted to all he 
met until he was hoarse; every one followed his 
example, throwing up their hats, shouting "Vive 
la France," and in true French fashion hugging 
and kissing each other in rapture. Days were 

—63— 



spent in feasting and rejoicing, and the majority- 
prepared to return as fast as they could secure 
the means. Of those most prominent in the 
colony Talon had already returned to Europe. 

De Noailles turned his attention for a while to 
other land speculations and amassed a considera- 
ble sum of money on Philadelphia Stock Ex- 
change. He asked to re-enter the French army 
and was ordered to the West Indies. He never re- 
turned to France. We have already told of 
Dupetithouars. John Keating lived and died 
in Philadephia. M. de Blacon returned to 
France and became a member of the National 
Assembly; met death at his own hands 
after reverses at the gaming table. Dr. Buzard 
went to Havana and became an eminent physician. 
Ezra Fromentin, acting priest in the little log 
chapel, became a judge in Florida; JohnBrevost, 
said to be the last Frenchman to leave Asylum, 
removed to the South where he died of yellow 
fever. Abbe Colin went to the West Indies as 
chaplain in the army, returned to Charleston, S. 
C, where he died. Charles Boulogne (says 
Judge Stevens in 1824), *'was an enterprising 
man, built the second best house in Asylum, was 
drowned while trying to ford the Loyalsock creek 
in 1799, and is buried at Asylum." Becdelliere 
returned to France, Peter Regnier returned to 
Europe, but after two years came again to Amer- 
ica and wrote to an acquaintance "with the in- 
tention never to quit it again, being of opinion 
that there is not a better country in the world." 
He settled in Delaware. Beaulieu remained in 

—64— 



America, his descendants being known by name 
of Boileau. Aubrey died in Philadelphia. Of the 
four families who remained at Asylum or there- 
abouts it is thought best to give more extended 
notices at close of volume. 

The colony dragged out a forlorn existence for 
about ten years from its inception. We have no 
very positive records as to when the most promi- 
nent refugees deserted it. In 1801 Brevost ad- 
vertised the opening of a French school at Asy- 
lum. (See note). But if established at all it was 
not of long duration, as we hear of him not long 
after in New Orleans. The settlers sold most of 
their lands to Charles Ho met and Bartholemew 
Laporte, abandoning their houses, which grad- 
ually went to decay. Judge Stevens says "river 
freshets swept away the principal street, leaving 
only the chimneys, which of course tumbled on 
the beach." Eecent surveys prove this untrue. 



Advertisement. 
*WILKES-BABRE GAZETTE—PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH WRIGHT. 

A FRENCH SCHOOL. 

The subscriber, a Frenchman born in Paris, where he resided from his 
birth until he was thirty three years of age, respectfully informs the public 
that he intends to open at Asylum a school for teaching the French lan- 
guage. He flatters himself that he is able to give a knowledge of his 
tongue and its pronunciation as it is spoken among the well educated peo- 
ple of Paris. He knows by experience that in a period of eighteen months, 
by living in his family and pursuing a regular course of study, a child of 
common understanding and who is previously taught to write will be able 
to speak that tongue correctly. 

The price of tuition and boarding a child between the age of ten and six- 
teen years, will be sixty bushels of wheat per year, to be delivered at New- 
town, Tioga, Asylum, or WilkesBarre, at the places pointed out by the 
subscriber, one half every six months. 

It is well known how useful is the knowledge of a language which within 
a hundred years has become the common tongue of Europe; is spoken by 
two large regions of the continent and which the reward of a sincere 
friendship between the American and French nations will render necessary 
to young gentlemen who intend to follow the political or mercantile life 

John Brevost 

Asylum, Luzerne Co. Penna Jan 5. 1801. 

—65— 



In 1804: Asylum was visited by Alex. Wilson, 
but must have been practically abandoned then. 
In 1809 a traveler mentions passing "the ruins of 
Asylum." In 1824 few houses were standing ex- 
cept that of Talon, which was occupied by the 
Laportes and others until in the forties. In 1836 
the whole town site was plowed up by Ulysses 
Moody; he told the writer it was grown over with 
saplings and nothing remained of the houses but 
the cellars. To-day not a trace remains except 
in the old French road, a few country roads, 
where streets were laid out, and the names of La- 
porte and Homet. 

Asylum to-day is situated in Bradford County. 
The original township was taken from Wyalusing 
in 1814. From this Albany was set off in 1824. 
Durell was formed from Asylum, Monroe and 
Wilmot in 1842. Wilmot reorganized with 
part of Asylum in 1858. Then followed a dispute 
over names, settled in 1859 by changing the name 
of Durell to Asylum and of what had been 
Asylum last to Terry. To visit A.sylum one may 
stop off at the station on Lehigh Valley R. R., 
called Hornet's Ferry, cross the ferry and per- 
suade someone to carry him to the site of the old 
French town, now included in the farms of the 
Laportes, Gordons and Hagermans. The Hager- 
man house was built by Judge Laporte and is 
just south of the site of home of Talon. Drink 
from the spring that furnished water for Talon's 
house, climb the hill to the little burial plot, or 
to the spot where the French ladies delighted to 
have tea. Are you not one in sympathy with 

—66— 



those who commanded the cutting of trees that 
obstructed the view ? 

Probably no unsettled country ever saw in 
its midst a colony representative of so much 
brilliancy and suffering as this "Azilum," 
with its nobles, court gentlemen, soldiers, 
clergy, together with many a lesser hght who 
had suffered in the crash. Here RoyaHsts, Con- 
stitutionalists, Republicans, aristocrats and ple- 
bians found a common bond in the scars 
which adversity had left upon them. For 
there were few among them who had not 
lost friends or property. Their hearts were 
ever in France, and their ears strained for every 
scrap of precious news. And when opportunity 
came they were ready once more to share the 
fortunes of their beloved country, to work, fight 
or die for her. Soon to its founders "Azilum" 
was but one of the less lurid bits of an existence 
in which the Revolution left small chance of 
monotony. But to the Yankee settler it was 
one of the bright spots in his life of isolation and 
struggle in the wilderness. Fresh from the 
haunts of civilization, and from a country fa- 
mous for its luxury and frivolity, this little group 
of men brought into the dull life of the back- 
woods a zest in life, a spirit, and a mode of living 
which was a marvel to the frontiersman and to 
his descendants to this day. Many are the tradi- 
tions which still survive of the frivolity that even 
hardship could not repress; these the simple, 
sturdy pioneer treasured in his heart against the 
harmless refugees of alien birth. Yet he had 

—67— 



much to thank them for. Better roads, regular 
posts, more comforts of civilization, money set 
into circulation, not to speak of the very breath 
of life which contact with men of culture brought 
to the mind-starved pioneer of the Pennsylvania 
wilderness. 

Short notices of the colony are occasionally found in old pub- 
lications issued in the early part of this century. On page 584 
of "Travels through the States of North America and the 
Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada during the years 1795, 
1796, 1797, by Isaac Weld Jr., printed by John Stockdale, 
Piccadilly, London, 1800," is the following description : 

' ' The whole way between Lochartzburg and "Wilkesbarre are 
settlements on each side of the river, at no great distance from 
each other; there are also several towns on the bank of the 
river. The principal one is Frenchtown, situated within a 
short distance of the Falls of Wyalusing on the western side of 
the river. This town was laid out at the expense of several 
philanthropic persons in Pennsylvania, who entered into a sub- 
scription for the purpose, as a place of retreat for the unfor- 
tunate emigrants who fled to America. The town contains 
about fifty log houses, and for the use of the inhabitants a con- 
siderable tract of land has been purchased adjoining to it, 
which has been divided into farms. The French settled here 
seem, however, to have no great inclination or ability to culti- 
vate the earth, and the greater part of them have let their lands 
at a small yearly rent to Americans, and amuse themselves with 
driving deer, fishing and fowling ; they live entirely to them- 
selves; they hate the Americans, and the Americans in the 
neighborhood hate and accuse them of being an idle dissipated 
set. The manners of the two people are so very different that 
it is impossible they should ever agree." 

In a little volume entitled "The Foresters, a poem descrip- 
tive of a Pedestrian Journey to the Falls of Niagara, in the 
autumn of 1804, by Alexander Wilson, author of American 
Ornithology," on page 35, is the following mention of the 
colony : 

—68— 



" Gaul's exiled royalists, a pensive train, 
Here raise the hut and. till the rough domain. 
The way-worn pilgrim to their fires receive, 
Supply his wants ; taut at his tidings grieve ; 
Afflicting news! for ever on the wing, 
A ruined country and a murdered King! 
Peace to their lone retreats while sheltered here. 
May these deep shades to them he doubly dear ; 
And Power's proud worshippers, wherever placed. 
Who saw such grandeur ruined and defaced. 
By deeds of virtue to themselves secure 
Those inborn joys, that, spite of Kings, endure, 
Though thrones and states from their foundations part ; 
The precious balsam of a blameless heart." 

The colony at this time must have been practically abandon- 
ed, for in an old letter written by Madame du Pont de Ne- 
mours, from Delaware, to my great-grandmother at Angelica, 
in 1809, describing a journey she had just made from Angelica 
to the Brandywine, she speaks of passing the ruins of Asylum, 
the old home of her correspondent. I have often heard my ^ 
father say that after the house intended for the Queen was com- 
pleted, the refugees, without loss of time, erected a log theatre. 
Duke de la Rochefoucauld Liancourt visited Asylum in 1795, 
and his description thereof is the most authentic one with which 
I am acquainted. 

C. d'Autremont, .Jb. 
Duluth, Minn., April 5, 1897. 



—69— 





p/^rmz^ 



/li^cy , S!)e^(2h^^ 





Extracts from Chevalier de Pont- 
gibaud. 

We have but recently obtained a copy of a 
book published in 1898, a translation of the 
"Memoirs du Comte de M," or "More "better 
known as the " Chevalier de Pontgibaud," "one 
of the gallant little band of Frenchmen who 
crossed the Atlantic to aid the American colonists 
to gain their independence." 

His impressions or memoirs were written forty 
years later. We give herewith an extract relat- 
ing to Asylum and its founders, to which our at- 
tention was called by the Historical Society of 
Pennsylvania. "M. S." and "M. T.," are evident- 
ly the same person, and no doubt Talon. This 
was written in connection with the chevalier's 
third visit to America in 1793 : 

' ' Duportail (Frencli ex-Minister of War) told me the names 
of the French refugees who had formed in Philadelphia an ark 
of safety like that of Noah. 

The blowing up of the good ship, the French Monarchy, had 
been caused by their follies, and the explosion had thrown a 
good number over to the United States. — They kept their eyes 
fixed on France, to which they all expected to return sooner or 
later and recommence what each called his great work, for 
there were exactly the same number of political systems as 
there were refugees. You might have believed yourself in 'the 
Elysian Fields, 6th Book of ^neid, where the shades still 
pursue the same ideas they had cherished in the other world. 

But a man must live, and the most curious spectacle was to- 

—71— 



see these Frenchmen, fallen from their former greatness, and 
now exercising some trade or profession. One day I entered a 
shop to buy some pens and paper and found the proprietor to 
be — one of the famous 'electors' of 1789. 

A good many other personages besides 'the electors of 
1789', and who when in France had cut quite another figure, 
were to be found walking about the streets of Philadelphia, as 
the Vicomte de Noailles, Due de L (iancourt) and M. S. 
(Talon ?) Volney, the Bishop of Autun, and 'tutti quanti.' 

Some of them gambled on the Stock Exchange, and nearly 
always successfully. Others were not so fortunate, and their 
speculations were more risky ; nor were they above laying traps 
for their countrymen who had newly arrived in America. 

Senator Morris had conceived a vast and adventurous under- 
taking. 

The celebrated Burke had written somewhere or other 
that Europe was about to totally collapse, and that North 
America was destined to receive the refugees and all the goods 
they were able to save. The Senator, in company with M. S. 
(Talon ?) and Vicomte de Noailles, speculated on this prophe- 
cy. They acquired more than a million acres, situated on the 
banks of the Susquehannab, and this land, divided into large or 
small lots, was advertised in the papers under the heading of 
"Good land to be sold." Nothing was said about residences — 
the purchaser was apparently to build his house to suit his own 
taste ? To encourage their clients they also constructed in the 
city an immense building in which all the great personages 
they were expecting on the faith of Edmund Burke could be 
suitably lodged. The Pope, the Sacred College, a few de- 
throned Monarchs, and other notables, were to rest there till 
they had recovered from the effects of their sea voyage, and 
before making up their minds to purchase a slice of American 
territory. 

It is literally true that this enterprising company had agents 
on the lookout for all emigrants who arrived from Europe. 
Their factotums kept a watchful eye on all newly-landed pas- 
sengers, who appeared to have some baggage, and not only 
compassionated their misfortunes, but offered them the means 

—72— 



of repairing their loss, by the purchase, in a new and hospita- 
ble land, of another estate of dimensions proportionate to the 
means of each newcomer. The price was reasonable enough, 
only six francs an acre — but the agent did not say that it had 
cost the Company he represented only fifteen cents an acre. 

I knew a milliner who had made some money, and who pur- 
chased an estate at Asylum, the fictitious capital of this imag- 
inary colony. The poor dupe went to inspect the estate she 
had bought the right to build on, cultivate, and live upon — and 
then she came back to Philadelphia to gain her living with her 
ten fingers as she had previously done. 

One of these agents — applied to me — started at once with a 
long discourse on the principles of humanity which animated 
this enterprise, and then went on to boast — "All materials are 
at hand, and everything has been provided. There is a mas- 
ter builder paid by the Company. We have even a restaurant 
in order to spare trouble to our newly-arrived colonists." He 
strongly urged me to buy five hundred acres of this new Promised 
Land for the moderate sum of 1000 erowns. When he finished 
I told him that 200 acres of that land would not support a cow, 
— that I knew all about the district, «fec., &c., and I have never 
seen a man look more disconcerted than this unlucky agent did. 

Providence, however, did not permit the enterprise to suc- 
ceed, and the three speculators came to a bad end. Senator 
Morris, crippled with debts, died in prison; M. T(alon) went 
mad, and Yicomte de Noailles, after having won four or five 
hundred thousand francs on the Philadelphia Exchange, left 
for St, Domingo, where he was killed on board an English 
cruiser. He, at least, died like a brave man, as he had lived ; 
that much praise is due to his memory, but that does not pre- 
vent me from relating a story concerning him which is a proof 
the more of the inconsistency displayed by some of our 
illustrious faiseurs during the Revolution. The incident oc- 
curred under my own eyes, and I laughed heartily at it, as 
everybody else did. 

Tills ex-Vicomte had a deed drawn up at Philadelphia by one 
of the notaries of the city, and when it was read over to him, 
he perceived that he was mentioned therein by the name of M. 

—73— 



de Noailles. He was exceedingly angry at this, and insisted 
that the deed should be re-written and none of his titles for- 
gotten — Vicomte, Knight of Saint Louis, Knight of Malta, 
etc. The next day, the newspapers were impertinent enough 
to repeat — con licinza superiori — what had passed in the oflfice, 
and all Philadelphia knew of the quarrel of the Vicomte with 
his notary. The story was accompanied with a note to this 
effect: "It is singular that a member of the Constitutional As- 
sembly, who proposed the law of ci-divants — a French noble- 
man who, on the famous night of 4th August made a holacaust 
of the titles, deeds, armorial bearings, etc., of all the nobility, 
commencing with his own — should insist on these titles being 
applied to him in a land of political equality, where all distinc- 
tions are unknown." 

Mr. Douglas, the translator of this book, has supplied notes 
on some of the principal charaters. Of de Noailles, he says : 
" Towards the close of the year 1800, his name was removed 
from the list of emigres, but his business affairs in the United 
States were so extensive that he refused to return to France. 
In 1803 he went to Hayti on business and there met Rocham- 
beau, who entrusted him with the care of a fort — blockaded by 
a British squadron. Rocharabeau was forced to capitulate, — 
De Noailles was summoned to surrender, but replied that "a 
French general who had provisions, ammunition and devoted 
soldiers could not surrender without shame." He then clev- 
erly got all his men on board ship under cover of darkness and 
joined Rochambeau without being discovered, and went to 
Cuba. He embarked for Havana on a small ship with 
a company of grenadiers. They fell in with a Brit- 
ish sloop of war, the Hazard, whose captain he de- 
ceived by displaying the British flag and hailing them 
in good English; The British captain asked if they had 
seen General de Noailles, whom they were commissioned to 
capture, and de Noailles replied that he was on the same errand. 
They sailed together, and in the middle of the night de Noailles 
ran his vessel into the other, boarded her, and after a brave 
defense captured her. But de Noailles was mortally wounded 
and died a week later, January 9, 1804, at Havana. He was 

—74— 



so beloved that his grenadiers enclosed his heart in a silver 
box, attached it to their flag, and carried it back to France." 

Although in early Eevolutionary times he took 
the oath of fidelity to the nation, it was de Noailles 
who rescued Marie Antoinette from an insulting 
and dangerous mob at the time of the Joyous 
Entry; aided by a friend, he took her up in his 
arms and carried her to a place of safety. 



-75- 



7W fLDo'^'-^ 






^5^ 




-76— 



... ^ , (® ... J. 



BIOGRAPHIES 



' ^ I ■*» -N * ^ *** ' ^>. ' 

^ (§)(S) ^^ 



Keating. 

John Keating came of an Irish family origin- 
ally of English extraction. Henry, the first of 
the name in the family record, lived within the 
so-called English Pale in the Fourteenth century. 
His descendants were summoned to Parliament 
as barons of the realm and suffered on account of 
th(^ir religion first during the reign of Elizabeth, 
and again at the hands of Cromwell, by whom 
they were deprived of their possessions. James 
Keating, a second son in the line of descent, who 
lived in the Fifteenth Century, was Grand Prior 
of the Order of Malta and one of the thirteen 
Brothers of St. George, an English Order of Chiv- 
alry instituted in aid of the House of York during 
the wars of the Roses. Geoffrey Keating, who. 
lived in the Sixteenth Century, was the well- 
known historian of Ireland, Another Geoffrey 
was captain in the Irish army at the battle of 
Aughrimand siege of Limerick in 1691, and after 
the capitulation, crossed to France with his regi- 
ment, which then took the name of the Queen's 
Regiment and formed part of the celebrated Irish 
Brigade, serving under Catinat in Italy in the 
wars of Louis XIV. He then returned to Ireland 
whence his son Valentine emigrated to France 
in 1766 to escape religious persecution. Upon his 
arrival at St. Germain, letters patent of nobility 

—79— 



were granted Valentine by Louis XV. in recog- 
nition of his rank in Ireland. 

John, the son of Valentine, and tenth in des- 
cent from the original Henry, was one of five 
brothers, four of whom entered the French ser- 
vice, and were officers in the regiment Walsh- 
Serrant of the Irish Brigade. The batallion to 
which John and two of his brothers belonged was 
sent to Martinique in 1780 under Ct. de Guichen. 
Thomas, the eldest, took part in three engage- 
ments with Admiral Rodney, and John, in the 
capture of Tabago. Thomas subsequently rose 
to the rank of major-general, commanding an 
army corps in Belgium, which saw active service 
under the French Republic. He was imprisoned 
by Robespierre, and died from the effects of his 
ill treatment. Both he and his brother William 
were awarded the cross of St. Louis for meritori- 
ous services. Thomas was subsequently, in 1Y92, 
upon recommendation of King Louis XVI. ad- 
mitted, in company with other French officers, 
to the order of the Cincinnati, presumably on 
account of his participation in the campaign in 
America. While in Martinique in 1781, John 
took part in a secret expedition destined, as it 
was supposed, for the United States, but while 
on their way up the coast, they were met by a 
sloop of war sent by Ct. de Grasse to inform them 
of the surrender of Cornwallis, whereupon the 
course was changed and the fleet headed for the 
island of St. Eustacius, which had just been cap- 
tured by the Enghsh from the Dutch. This they 
stormed with brilliant success, against great 
—80— 



odds, capturing the commander and his entire 
force. 

The regiment returned to France in lYSS, was 
sent to the island of Mauritius in 1Y88, and again 
visiting Martinique on its way home, (where John 
was presented to the future Empress Josephine) 
was finally ordered to San Domingo in 1792, and 
there John was placed in temporary command. 
There being then but little prospect of the resto- 
ration of the Bourbons, he resigned his commis- 
sion and came to this country, having previously 
been honored with the military decoration in 
recognition of his services. His journal, already 
quoted, recounts his arrival in Philadelphia with 
but $280 in his pocket, and provided with two 
letters, one from the civil government of San 
Domingo to the French Consul at Philadelphia, 
and the other from General Rochambeau, then 
Military Governor of San Domingo, to General 
Washington. It also relates his subsequent con- 
nection with Asylum. After the abandonment 
of that colony he became associated with de 
Noailles in another land transaction in Tennes- 
see, and subsequently, through Messrs. Talon and 
Gernon, in a large purchase of some 300,000 acres 
of land in northern Pennsylvania, known as the 
Ceres Company, the management of which on 
behalf of a syndicate of foreigners devolved upon 
him and lasted throughout his life. 

Shortly after dissolving his connection with 
Asylum he married Eulalia Deschapelles, the 
daughter of Alexander Britton Deschapelles, a 
prominent planter from San Domingo, of noble 

—81— 



French lineage, and took up his residence in 
Wilmington, Delaware. After his wife's death 
he returned to Philadelphia, where he resided 
during the balance of his life. He died at the age 
of ninety-six, being for some time the last sur- 
vivor of the officers of the French service during 
the French prerevolutionary period. By the death 
of his eldest brother, Geoffrey, the title of Baron 
devolved upon him, though, being then an Amer- 
ican citizen, he did not, of course, assume it. He 
was associated with many institutions of philan- 
thropy and charity in Philadelphia, and as his 
portrait indicates, was of imposing stature and 
possessed all the courtly bearing of a French gen- 
tleman of the old school. He was devoted to his 
church and to the memories of the monarchy in 
France. 

The present head of the family has in his pos- 
session, besides other interesting relics, portraits 
of Geoffrey and his wife (a Quin, whose father 
was the progenitor of the present Earl of Dunra- 
ven) clad in gorgeous robes of crimson velvet, the 
letters patent of nobility granted to Valentine by 
Louis XVI, the cross of St. Louis awarded to 
General Thomas Keating, a portrait of Marie An- 
toinette, said to have been presented to John 
Keating by the Due de Berry, and a miniature of 
Talon presented by himself. 

John's oldest son, John Julius, married Eliza- 
beth Hopkinson, a graudaughter of Francis 
Hopkinson, the signer, and died early. His 
widow subsequently married William Biddle, 
brother of Nicholas Biddle, the financier, and 

—82— 



lived to an advanced age. She knew all the great 
statesmen of the ante-war period, visited the 
White House as the guest of John Quincy 
Adams, travelled extensively abroad and was 
possessed of a most interesting personality. Her 
memoirs would have been most entertaining. 

John's second son, William H., was one of Phil- 
adelphia's foremost citizens some seventy years 
ago. While a member of the legal profession he 
early devoted himself to scientific pursuits. He 
accompanied Long in his pioneer exploration of 
the Yellowstone, and wrote the history of the 
expedition; was Professor of Chemistry at the 
University of Pennsylvania; was also one of the 
projectors of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail- 
road Company, and in company with Frederick 
Fraley and others, founded the Frankhn Insti- 
tute. His brother and he were members of the 
State Legislature at the same time, and his activ- 
ities extended in many and various directions. 
He married Ehzabeth, daughter of J. Eric Boll- 
man, a man of great prominence in his day, who 
enjoyed the intimacy of Lafayette and Madame 
de Stael, and took active part in many popular 
movements having for their object the extension 
of the great principles laid down in our Declara- 
tion of Independence. John Keating's grandson, 
the son of his daughter EulaUa, (who married her 
cousin of the name) was the late WiUiam V. 
Keating, M. D., who attained high rank in his 
profession, and was Surgeou-in-Chief of the 
Broad and Cherry Street Hospital, Philadelphia, 
during the war, besides holding many positions 

—83— 



of honor and trust. And finally John Keating's 
great grandson, the late John M. Keating, M. D., 
who followed in his father's footsteps and enjoy- 
ed a wide popularity as a physician, was a vol- 
uminous writer and editor of medical works, 
which have attained a world-wide circulation. 

J. P. K. 

I. John Keating, b. in Ireland, Sept. 20, 1760, 
d. May 19, 1856; ra. Eulaha Deschapelles. 

Children: 

2 John Julius, b. Sept. 16, IY98, d. . . 1824. 

3 William H., b. Aug. 11, 1Y99. 

4 Eulalia, b. Sept. 24, 1801, d. . . 1873. 

II. John^ J., m. 1824 Elizabeth Hopkinson. 
No children. 

III. William^ H., m. Elizabeth Bollman. 
Child: 

5 Ellen E., b. .. 1840. 

IV. Eulalia^, m. Aug. 12, 1818, Jerome Keat- 
ing (cousin). 

Children: 

6 Amelia b. . . 1820, d. . . 1886. 

7 William K, b. .. 1823, d. .. 1894. 

8 Mary, b. . . 1833, d. . . 1864. 

VI. Amelia Keating^, m. 1837 Peter Bauduy. 
Child: 

b. . . m. Caroline Bankhead. 



IX. 


Jerome^ K 


Children: 


10 


William K. 


11 


Elizabeth. 


12 


Caroline R. 


13 


Mary. 


14 


Louis. 


15 


Jerome. 



—84— 



VII. William^ F., m. . . 1851 Susan La Roche. 
Children: 

16 John M,h. . . 1852, d. . . 1893. 
IT J. Percy, b. . . 1855, m. . . 1883 Carohne E. 
Dixon. 

18 Eulalia, b. . . 1856. 

19 Susan L.,h. . . 1858. 

20 Mary, b. . . 1864, m. . . 1898 Mason Lisle. 

21 Sophie B., b. . . 1866. 

XVI. John^ M.,m. . . 18YT Edith McCall. 
Children: 

22 Edith, b. . . 1878. 

23 Elizabeth, b. .. 1880. 

24 Margaret, b. .. 1882. 

25 Peter McC, b. . . 1884. 

XVIII. Eulalia^, m. . . 1879 Mason Campbell. 
Child: 

26 Virginia, b. . . 1881, m. . . 1902 John S. New- 
bold. 

XIX. Susan^ L, m. . . 1884 Lindley Johnson. 
Children : 

27 Lindley, b. , . 1885. 

28 Keating, b. . . 1887. 

29 Marion, b. . . 1889. 

30 Susan, b. . . 1890. 

VIII. Mary Keating^, m. . . 1852 Jas. M.Will- 
cox. 

Children: 

31 William J, b. .. 1856, d. .. 1893. 

32 Eulalia*, b. . . 1858, m. . R.W. Lesley, had 
Eulaha S b. . . 1880. 

33 Mary, b. 1860. 

34 James M., b. . . 1862, m. . . Louise Lindsley 
Reed. 

—85— 



d'Autremont. 

Hubert d'AutremoDt was a Parisian royalist, 
evidently belonging to a family of importance, as 
evinced both by his coat of arms and his intimacy 
with such prominent Frenchmen as Talleyrand; 
Dupont, a distinguished French writer and states- 
man, who was one of the commissioners in the 
Louisiana purchase; and Baron Neville, a bitter 
royalist. Hubert is said to have been guillotined 
early in the Revolution. 

His widow, Marie Jeane d'Ohet, with her three 
sons, Louis Paul, aet. 22, Alexander Hubert, aet. 
16, and Auguste Francois Cecil, aet. 9, left France 
in 1792, their royalist principles making life un- 
certain there. In company with the family of her 
sister Madame Lefevre, and some others, they 
came to America, and settled on the Chenango 
on lands previously contracted for in France from 
William W. Morris, through his agent, Charles 
F. Bue Boulogne. They arrived evidently in the 
late summer of 1792, as an act of sale was made 
out by Boulogne in Philadelphia, Sept, 1792. In 
October, 1793, the oldest son on his way to Phila- 
delphia stopped at Asylum, doubtless to see Bou- 
logne. It was he who carried back to the Che- 
nango settlement an account of the proposed 
town that later attracted thither a number of his 
associates with his mother's family. 

The power of attorney under which Boulogne 
acted in making their contracts was lost in Paris, 
and, having never been recorded, after the death 
of Morris and Boulogne, the lands were lost, or 



\LJ 




J^(^UAA/iU4ivoriA, 



sold for a trivial sum on account of supposed poor 
title, though it was finally held good. (See Wen- 
dall Common Law reports X. T. p. 82, vol. T.) 

A recital of the case, drawn up in French in 
1805 by Louis Paul d'Autremont. then in Paris, 
is still in existence. - 

Their situation from the first was not a pleasant 
one, and it was not Ions: before Mme. d'Autre- 



[Original in French ] 

♦Becital of the case -w-hich is to be begTin against William W Morris to re- 
claim e.CiOJ acres of land or thereabouts situated on the Chenango River, 
Montgomery Co.. Xe-w York. 

M. Charles Felix De Boulogne sold at Paris in 1792 lands under two differ- 
ent titles. 

1st under power of attorney of M. M. Malachi Treat and WUliam M. Mor- 
ris, proprietors of a certain quantity of lands upon the Chenango Eiver, 

to Madame d'Autremont & to W. Brevost, 

2nd as proprietors of a part of these same lands which he had 
purchased from said Treat and Alorris the 

l6th of June. 1T91 I Contract passed before Wagner 

to M.Duvemet 1600 Notary Public at 2s ew York 

Boumeville SOO ! in presence of James Thompson, 

Silvesrre 16O0 I Constable. 

MargTierite SOO | 
At the time of the arrival of a part of the families in Philadelphia in 1792 
the act of sale as well as f onde of powvoir of JMsssrs. Treat & Morris was 
made by Boulogne to Madame d'Autremont.Lef evre and Brevost before Pet- 
er Lohra, notary at Philadelphia, in the beginning of September, 1792. 

As to the articles of sale which regarded M. Duvernet and others, co- 
aquerems. it does not appear that they were made before a Notary before 
the 7th of December. 1794. and always before the aforesaid Peter Lohra, 
Notary at Philadelphia. M. Duvernet declares that the articles were placed 
in the bank of Philadelphia near the close of IT&i. It is probable that this 
delay took place in order that the stipulation of lands might be made in a 
precise manner, and when the survey which was made the following year 
shotild have been finished. The 2-ith of September. 1792. we find a copy of 
the articles of sale of 15S&) acre? made to Boulogrne by M. 31. Morris & Treat, 
that is to say that M. M. Treat and Morris comprehended in a single article 
of sale nor only the 600i3 acres of land which they had sold in 1791, but also 
the 9360 which they had directed Boulome to seUtn France. The articles of 
Bale realized upon our passage to New York, when we went to take possess- 
ion of our lands included a definite quittance of the total price of 
the sale. We ought then to believe ourselves secure from aU pursuit grow- 
ing out of the facts of the first sale to Boulogne. Nevertheless upon the 
death of the latter, which took plac« m 1795. or 1796. upon the Susquehanna. 
M. Morris swore that he had never received anything from the sale of his 
lands ■illegible word) aU the purchasers who had bought by virtue of the 
powers given by himself and Treat to Boulogne, as well as" the purchasers 
who had bought directly of Boulogme. These same purchasers by separat- 
ing the titles above mentioned, that is to say 
M. Duvernet 1 

fSerite Members of the institute. 

BoumeviUe | 
demand that measures should be taken in order that they may enter into 
possession of their lands, which have to,day a great value, being situated in 
a rich, healthy and inhabited country. ' d"AUTEEMONT. 



mont decided to join her countrymen at Asylum, 
as did the Brevosts and Lefevres. 

In 1795, when Talleyrand visited Asylum, 
Louis Paul d'Autremont returned with him to 
France as his secretary, it is said. 

d'Autremont remained in France until his death 
in the forties, with the exception of a visit to 
America in 1836. He married in Paris and had 
one child, a daughter. He was a man of consid- 
erable ability, an ardent speculator in wild lands 
in America, whither his heart ever turned with 
as much love and longing for his family, and as 
much admiration for America (even the wilder- 
ness) as the French generally had for their own 
country. His letters to his mother, many of 
which are still in existence, are marvels of love 
and veneration, and his solicitude for her welfare 
and that of his brothers, stands apparently first 
in his mind. He made repeated efforts to secure 
for them a comfortable estate, which for some 
time he also fancied might be an asylum for him- 
self. The affairs of France led him to American- 
ize his name into Dauthrimonth, as he writes: 

"I must tell you that in order to avoid anything disagreeable 
I pass for a Canadian, here, have been naturalized as an Ameri- 
can, and have changed a little the architecture of my name." 

After the true French fashion he tried to ar- 
range marriages for his brothers, even at such a 
distance. At one time it was a family going from 
France to the Chenango lands with whom he 
hoped Auguste would make an alliance, again a 
young daughter of Madame Brevost, whom he 
knew at Ayslum, adding, 



" If she suits him, and, if on his side he pleases her, I think 
good mama, the afEair had better be terminated. Marriage will 
do a great deal for Auguste, he is a fine looking boy, young and 
vivacious, and that is all that is necessary to be a good husband 
and father." 

Again he writes: 

" The affairs of Europe are becoming such, that if we had the 
misfortune to be defeated, there would be no other resource than 
to return again to those vast forests where one hears the Iro- 
quois." 

When Talon left Asylum, or a little later Mme, 
d'Autremont and her two sons returned to the 
Chenango tract, and lived on Butternut Creek 
near Pittsfield. Here they lived until 1806, when 
by the advice, and with the assistance of her son 
in Paris, she or Alexander purchased land at An- 
gelica, N. Y., where they lived and died, and 
where some of their descendants have lived ever 
since. 

Previous to this last removal, Alexander, des- 
perate at their failure to obtain title to Chenango 
land, followed the treacherous Boulogne to the 
West Indies, hoping to compel him to make resti- 
tution. Ill luck, however, pursued him, the ves- 
sel was shipwrecked, he reached land with diffi- 
culty, being impeded with the weight of a money 
belt belonging to a fellow passenger. He then 
had yellow fever and was very glad to return 
alive, without even seeing Boulogne. 

With the advice and constant assistance of 
Louis Paul, he engaged in farming and became 
prosperous, as did also his brother Auguste, 
though Auguste had for awhile a great desire 
either to return to France or to be a sailor. How- 



ever, he went to Wilmington and entered into 
business under the Duponts. He remained in 
Delaware for several years, removing thence to 
Hume, N. Y. 

Both of these men, as well as their mother, 
desired to return to France as much as Louis 
Paul did to America. But in time, doubtless 
influenced by their brothers' letters they resigned 
themselves to remaining here, though Auguste 
once paid a visit to his mother country. We re- 
gret that we cannot give space to all of the fas- 
cinating letters of Louis Paul, teeming always 
with good advice to the younger brothers, and 
sometimes showing an amusing ignorance of 
Yankee ways. 

Alexander had no sooner settled permanently 
than he wished to build a distillery for the manu- 
facture of whiskey. Louis Paul thought a saw 
mill, flour mill or the manufacture of saltpeter 
wiser, and seemed to be somewhat concerned 
about "wiske" drinking. He writes: 

"Above all,- dear mama, see that Alexander does not make 
use of wiske the first year. I am told that the use of this 
newly distilled liquor will give one epileptic attacks." 

Mme. d'Autremont was probably born at 
Etampe, as the d'Ohet estate is situated there. 
She possessed a house at Dampiere, which may 
have been where she resided with her husband. 

Like a true French woman she was very fond 
of dress, and, even in her log house in the wilder- 
ness, she made her toilette several times a day, 
always donning full dress in the evening. 

She preserved many interesting letters, papers 

—90— 



and some portraits, most of which were destroy- 
ed by fire only 20 or 30 years ago. There still ex- 
ist, however, numerous letters from her son and 
his wife, her father's will, a list of the articles she 
brought from France, and her carefully itemized 
personal accounts. Most of these papers are now 
in the possession of a daughter of Auguste, resid- 
ing at Hume, JST. Y., where he lived and died. 
Though Louis Paul was a resident of Asylum for 
but a short time, that he was actively concerned 
in affairs of the colony is shown by various pa- 
pers bearing his bold signature. Judge Stevens 
says : 

"He could speak the English language, and was amongst the 
handsomest and most active men of his time." 

We regret that his portrait was destroyed and 
that we can only present those of his brothers. 

I. Hubert d'Autremont, m. Feb. 3, 17Y0, 
Marie Jeane d'Ohet, b. 1745. 
Children, born in France: 

2 Louis Paul, b. Nov. 7, 1770, d. 184- in Paris, 
no male issue. 

3 Alexandre Hubert^ b. March 12, 1776, d. 
April 4, 1857. 

4 Auguste Francois Cecil, b. June 7, 1783, d. 
Jan. 28, 1860. 

ni. Alexander 2 H, m. 1798 Abigail Dodge, 
dau. Maj. Dodge. 
Children: 

5 Adeline, b. July 12, 1800. 

6 Amelia D., b. April 28, 1803, d. Jan. 13, 
1876. 

—91— 



7 Louis P., b. Jan. 28, 1805. 

8 Victor D., b. Aug. 16, 1807. 

9 Caroline, b. Dec. 8, 1809. 

10 Janet, b. Nov. 30, 1814. 

11 Charles, b. June 26, 1818, d. March 3, 1891. 

12 Alexander, b. April 2, 1821. 

13 Virginia, b. July 30, 1824. 

14 Sophia, b. Aug. 3, 1829, d. Oct. 17, 1894. 
V. Adeline^ d'Autremont, ra. 1826 Ithamar 

Smith of Lyme, Conn. 
Children : 

15 Ja7iet, b. Feb. 9, 1827. 

16 Emily, b. Sept. 15, 1828. 

17 Amanda A., b. July 26, 1830. 

18 John C, b. Nov. 3, 1833. 

19 Alexander D., b. Dec. 25. 1835. 

20 Harriet A., b. Jan. 10, 1837. 

21 Caroline B., b. Oct. 2, 1839. 

22 Abigail D., b. Oct. 4, 1831, m. Jan. 5, 1882, 
Dr. Eandall Eeed. 

XV. Janet^ Smith, m. Charles Hortou. 

Children. 

23 Elizabeth Amelia. 

24 Charles Frederick. 

XVII. Amanda* A. Smith, m. Llewellyn 
Budd, m. James Lancy. 

XVIII. John^ C. Smith, m. Rebecca Van 
Hoasen, no issue ; m. 1860 Emma F. Lock wood. 

Child: 

25 John. 

XX. Harriet * A. Smith, m. July 15, 1876, 
Isaac W. Fassett. 
Child: 
28 Frederick, b. Feb. 9, 1879. 

—92— 



XXI. Caroline* B. Smith, m. Augustus Bal- 
thasar. 
Children : 

29 Frederica. 

30 Harriet A. 

31 Charles A. 

VI. Amelia^ D. d'Autremont, m. Hugh Magee. 
Children : 

32 Margaret. 

33 John. 

34 Henry. 

35 Sarah. 
86 Amelia. 

37 Abigail. 

38 Jane. 

39 Angelica Church*, m. Daniel Beach. 

VII. Louis^ P. d'Autremont, m. Oct. 12, 1826, 
Hannah Magee. 

Children : • 

40 Abigail A., b. Dec. 24, 182Y, d. 1899. 

41 James P., b. Oct. 10, 1830, d. Oct. 1895. 

42 Margaret C, b. July 1, 1833. 

43 Mary C, b. Aug. 8, 1835. 

44 Louis A., b. March 2, 1838. 

45 Hannah, b. May 23, 1840, d. July 27, 1842. 

46 Victor B., b. April 23, 1843, d. March 9, 
1878. 

47 Charles J., b. March 28, 1845. 

48 Francis, b. Aug. 24, 1849. 

VIII. Victor^ D. d'Autremont, m. Isabella 
Common. 

Children : 

49 Victor. 

—93— 



50 Sophia. 

51 John. 

52 Abigail. 

53 Belle. 

IX. Caroline^, m. Charles Brundage. 
Descendants live near Bath, N. Y. Have no 
further information. 
X Janet 2 d'Autremont, m. Ephraim Smith. 
Descendants hve at Wellsville, N. Y. 

XI. Charles^ d'Autremont, m. 1850 Sarah 
Colhns, b. Nov. 19, 1822. 

Children: 

54 Charles Jr., b. June 2, 1851, living at Du- 
luth, Minn. 

55 Mary, b. Oct. 16, 1854. 

XIV. Charles'^ d'Autremont, Jr., m. April 21, 
1880 at Elmira, Hattie Hart. 

Children: 
• 56 Antoinette, b. July 10, 1881. 

57 Louis Paul, b. Aug. 23, 1883. 

58 Charles Maurice, b. Aug. 6, 188T. 

59 Hubert Hart, b. Feb. 19, 1889. 

60 Marie G-enevieve, b. March 9, 1892. 

XII. Alexander^ d'Autremont, m. Diana 
Howard. Descendants live near Angelica, N. Y. 

XIV. Sophia^ C. d'Autremont, m. Feb. 6, 
1849, Lucien P. Wetherby. 
Children: 

61 John K., b. May 15, 1851. 

62 Harris V., b. Jan. 18, 185T. 

63 Clarence L, b. March IT, 1861, d. 1879. 
IV. Auguste^ Francois Cecil, b. June 7, 1785 

in Paris, d. Jan. 28, 1860, m. at Brandywine, 

—94— 



Del., July 15, 1816, Sarah A. Stewart, b. Sept. 
10, 1794, d. Sept. 4. 1840. 
Children : 

54 Matilda, b. June 1, 181Y, d. Dec. 31, 1884. 

55 Josephine, b. Jan. 31, 1820, d. May 1, 1901. 

56 Augustus Jr., b. Feb. 29, 1822, d. March 29, 
1889. 

5Y Mary H., b. July 27, 1824, d. July 8, 1836. 

58 Fancois P., d. Sept. 12, 1847, in Mexico. 

59 Caroline E., b. April 27, 1827, d. June 29, 
1877. 

60 Victorine, b. June 7, 1830, d. July 24, 1836. 

61 Evelina E., b. April 17, 1833. 

62 Andrine Sarah, ] b. Dec. 16, 1835. 

63 Clodine, | d. July 18, 1836. 

LV. Josephine^, m. Oct. 15, 1846, Harden P. 
Mather. 
Children : 

64 Charles Augustus, b. Sept. 29, 1847. - 

65 Walter D., b. Jan. 29, 1851. 

66 Iheodore P., b. Aug. 3, 1853. 

LVI. Augustus^ Jr., m. Feb. 14, 1854, Adeline 
Mather, m. Jan. 4, 1863, Mary A. Hubbard. 
Children by Adeline Mather: 

67 Frank, b. July 11, 1855, d. March 11, 1873. 

68 George W., b. Nov. 3, 1856. 

69 Julia E., b. April 3, 1859. 
70. Lucian, b. March 12, 1861. 
Children by Mary A. Hubbard: 

71 Addie, b. July 2, 1864, d. Sept. 25, 1889. 

72 Carrie, b, July 2, 1870. 

LIX. Caroline^, m. June 22, 1858^ Ralph Tay- 
lor. 

—95— 



Children : 

73 Mary A, b. Jan. 29, 18—. 

U Carrie E., b. Nov. 29, 1862, d. 

T5 Alfred, b. July 6, 1869. 

LXII. Andrine^ S., m. April 19, 1869, S. A. 
Farman. 

Child: 

Y6 Henry, b. April 26, 1871. 

LXXIII. Mary * A. Taylor, m. Nov. 10, 1878, 
Frank Clark. 

Child: 

77 Ada. 

LXXV. Alfred Taylor, m. 

Children: 

78 

79 

64 Charles^ A. Mather, m. Dec. 18, 1882, Car- 
rie Corbin. 

Children : 

80 Henry. 

81 Josephine. 

LXV. Walter^ D. Mather, m. Nov. 28, 1876, 
Sarah Moore, d., no children; m. Emma. 
Children: 

82 Charles. 

83 Ealph. 

LXVn. Theodore^ P.Mather, m. Nov. 23, 1879, 
Mary Beardslee. 
Children: 

84 Charles. 

85 Ehzabeth. 

LXVin. George^ W. d'Autremont, m. 1878, 
M. Ayers, m. 1894, Jennie Skiff. 

—96— 



Child by M. Ayers : 

86 Charles, b. Oct. 21, 1880, d. June 19, 1891- 
Child by J. Skiff : 
8Y Georgia 0., b. Aug. 5, 1900. 
LXIX Julia E^ d'Autremont, m. Aug. 31, 
18T8, Will Colburn, m. Fred Stone. 
Children by Will Colburn: 

88 Gracie, b. Oct. 31, 1879, m. James Wallace. 

89 Eay. 

Child by Fred Stone: 

90 Meta V., b. Feb. 14, 1902. 

LXX. Lucian^ d'Autremont, m. Sept. 4, 1888, 
Lizzie Clark. 
Children : 

91 Koy A,, b. May 24, 1889. 

92 Louis F., b. July 22, 1891. 

93 Addison M., b. May 4, 1895. 

94 Mildred, b. Aug. 31, 1899. 

LXXII. Carries m. Sept. 4, 1888, George 
Clark. 
Child: 

95 Henry, b. Feb. 2, 1891. 



-97— 



Lefevre. 

Antoine Bartolemy L. Lefevre was born in 
Paris 1750. His wife was Marie Genevieve 
d'Ohet, born in 1Y50, probably at Etampes, a 
suburb of Paris, as the d'Ohet family still have an 
estate there. Antoine, or Anthony as he is now 
known, was an architect in stone and master 
builder. He was also proprietor of a cafe, to 
which many prominent royalists resorted in the 
early days of the French Revolution. He there- 
fore soon fell under suspicion and thought it wise 
to leave France. In company with Mme. d'Au- 
tremont, (his wife's sister) John Brevost, M. Du- 
long and some others in 1^92 he sailed from Havre 
in the ship Hanna, Captain Steborn. He had four 
children, (disputed) but under regulations then 
in force he could only take part of his family 
with him, therefore passports were made out for 
one son and one daughter. Before the vessel 
sailed the son died, whereupon the youngest 
daughter, disguised in her brother's clothing, was 
passed under his name, and accompanied her 
father ; the wife and son following them soon. 

This party settled on the Chenango River at or 
near Butternuts. But their surroundings were 
not pleasant, far from supplies and with Indians 
very near. To fill the measure of their troubles the 
title by which they held their land proved worth- 
less. They determined to join their countrymen 
at Asylum, and removed thither in 1^94. M. Le- 
fevre secured one of the Loyal Sock tracts, just 
where cannot be ascertained, but his daughter 

—98— 



cp^o 




said it was in an unbroken wilderness, inhabited 
chiefly by bears and wolves. There in a log hut 
without windows or doors, guarded by two dogs, 
this whilom keeper of a fashionable French cafe 
undertook to make a clearing himself, and thus 
secure a farm and livelihood for his family. It is 
not surprising that even French enthusiasm soon 
cooled under such circumstances, and that the pio- 
neer returned to the settlement It has been 
erroneously said of him that he was licensed to 
keep the first inn in Asylum in August, 1T94. 
Judge Stevens says this "first license was grant- 
ed to Louis Lefevre, who afterwards removed to 
Philadelphia, became insane and drowned himself 
in the Schuylkill river." These two names, 
Antoine and Louis, are found in the lists of taxa- 
bles with different spelling of the surnames, and 
in one of the old accounts kept by Talon "Le- 
fevre" is entered as a servant. Antoine must have 
been a man of education as is shown b}^ his fine 
penmanship. After Asylum was abandoned, he 
purchased a property across the river from it, 
where he lived with his family throughout his 
life. He and his wife are buried in the cemetery 
at Wyalusing. 

The will of Anthony Lefevre, written by him- 
self in 1827, is an interesting instrument. In 
particular the list of articles brought from France, 
i. e., "four large silver spoons, six small ones, one 
complete copper still, with all its implements, 
three copper pans, one large copper pan with two 
iron handles, a bureau with a marble top, two 
complete beds and beddings of the best and one 

LefC. -99- 



pair of sheets brought from Paris in France." 
One of these copper pans was offered to the writer 
a few years since by Mr. Lewis Biles, who gave 
at the same time a copper candlestick (now in 
museum at Athens) which he had bought at sale 
of effects of Mrs. John Huff, nee Lefevre, and 
which she had often told him came from France. 

I. Antoine B. L. Lefevre m. Marie G. d'Ohet, 
b. 1750, d. 1834. 
Childen: 

2 Alexander, b. d. 1814. 

3 Cecelia A., b. May 13, 1785, d. May 8, 1876. 

4 Augustine E, b. July, 1787, m. 1811 J. Huff, 
d. May 16, 1879. 

III. Cecelia^ A., m. 1815 John Antoine Pre- 
vost. 

Children: 

4 Edward, b. Dec. 1, 1817, d. Feb. 22, 1900. 

5 Angelique M, b. Oct. 16, 1819. 

6 Theophilus, b. 1824, d. 1882. 

John Antoine Prevost, husband of Cecelia Le- 
fevre, was born in Paris Sept. 23, 1777, d. April 
30, 1868. In May, 1800, he sailed from Rochelle 
for America. Several years later he made the 
acquaintance of Alexander d'Autremont, and 
was induced by him to visit Asylum, where he 
met and married his wife. He is often confound- 
ed with John Brevost, one of the original settlers 
at Asylum. M. Prevost (according to some of 
his descendants) sailed from Havre, having staged 
from Paris, 420 miles. He was seventy days at 
sea, he could not speak English and was easily 

—100— 



persuaded to settle at Nantucket, the home of 
the captain of saihng vessel, where he remained 
four years. Having learned the language, he 
then went to Wilmington, having letters to the 
Duponts. Through their influence he removed 
to Angelica, where he met the d'Autremonts. 
After his marriage he lived for a time in Phila- 
delphia, hut returned to Russell Hill in 1825. In 
Paris he was a florist, and he never lost his taste 
for cultivating rare and beautiful plants, which 
were the wonder and admiration of his country 
neighbors. 

IV. Edwards Prevost, m. Sept. 28, 1842, Eliz- 
abeth Stark. 
Children: 
Y Cecelia, b. Dec. 1, 1843. 

8 Byron J, b. Dec. 31, 1845, d. May 2Y, 1863. 

9 Henry Clay, b. Sept. 10, 184Y. 

10 Wahace William, b. Feb 10, 1850. 

11 Mary E., b. Oct. 15, 1852, d. July 2, 1886. 

12 Vernet E., ) b. Jan. 3, 1857. d. Sept. 10, 

13 Victor J., j 1889. 

15 Lester S., b. Dec. 13, 1863. 

14 AngeliqueF., b. Nov. 26, 1861, m. March 
19, 1887, Dexter W. Stark. 

16 Clarence W., b. Jan. 30, 1866, m. Nov. 24, 
1901, Sue Tisch. 

VII. Cecelia^, m. Dec. 6, 1871, Daniel H. 
Walter. 
Children: 

17 Carrie E., b. March 23, 1873. 

18 Mildred A., b. March 23, 1877. 

—101— 



19 Otta F., b. May 8, 1880, ra. July 31, 1901, 
Frank French. 

20 Roy P., b. Dec. 1, 1882. 

XVII. Carrie E.,^m. Nov. 6, 1895, Charles 
Robinson. 
Children: 

21 Mildred, b. Sept. 23, 1896. 

22 Roland, b. Aug. 6, 1902. 

IX. Henry C.,* m. Dec. 9, 1877, Ida M. 
Young. 
Children: 

23 Dexter C, b. Sept. 23, 1878, m. May 23, 
1902, Ehzabeth Wilbur. 

24 Harry E., b. June 3, 1881. 

25 Tracy H., b. Aug. 25, 1883. 

XI. Mary E.^, m. Dec. 3, 1876, Dexter W. 
Stark. 
Children: 

26 Lee P., b. May 11, 1882. 

27 Fannie E., b. Jan. 2, 1885. 

XIII. Victor J., 4 m. Jan. 29, 1885, Carrie 
Haver. 
Children : 

28 Edna E., b. Aug. 20, 1885. 

29 Mary E., b. July 21, 1887. 

30 Victor E., b. July 20, 1895. 

31 Winifred, b. Dec. 24, 1900. 

X\r. Lester^ S., m. Oct. 2, 1889, Ida Savacol. 
Children: 

32 Blanche, b. April 9, 1891. 

33 Angfelique, b. May 2, 1892. 

34 Edward, b. March 23, 1894. 

—102— 



V. Angelique^ M., m. Jan. 18, 1842, William 
Mix. 
Children: 

35 John W., b. Dec. 16, 1842, m. Dec. 18, 1867, 
Belle Spalding. 

36 Mary E., b. Aug. 26, 1845. 

XXXVI. Mary E.,^ m. Oct. 16, 1872, Mahlon 
Spalding. 
Child: 

37 William M., b. Feb. 15, 1876. 



—103— 



Laporte. 



Bartholomew Laporte was born in Tulle, now 
in the province of Correze in France 1758. 

"In 1776 he emigrated to Spain and settled at Cadiz, where 
through the same spirit of enterprise that led him thither, he 
in the space of a few years, as a wine merchant, accumulated a 
handsome fortune. But, by a decree of the Spanish Govern- 
ment, banishing from within its limits all French subjects, and 
confiscating their property, his effects among others were seized 
and himself banished from the country." 

At a French seaport, supposed to be Marseilles, 
he encountered Talon, as has already been told, 
and came with him to Asylum, though he differ- 
ed ill political sentiment from the other exiles, 
being a republican. In company with one 
Heraud, it is recorded that he was engaged in the 
mercantile business as early as May, 1794. To his 
shop some time after came an English girl, Eliza- 
beth Franklin, daughter of John Franklin, {not 
Col. John) who had settled at Asylum soon after 
his arrival in this country. Laporte was so 
enamored that he sought her in marriage, though 
over twenty years her senior. They were mar- 
ried at Asylum, presumably in the little log 
chapel. 

Always the trusted land steward of Talon, when 
the French abandoned Asylum Laporte purchased 
a large tract of land, including Talon's house, on 
his own terms. His son John said of him : 
" Talon put him in charge of much of the work, 
he was in fact relied on by Talon as one to attend 
to all outside work, and when Talon returned to 

—104— 



France, he sold to my father on his own terms 
the farm of 400 acres which he paid for by in- 
stallments." 

Bartholemew is said to have owned three lots, 
i. e., a settlement lot, a flatiron lot, so called, and 
the lot on which the house stood ; he was also 
agent for the unsold lands and was granted power 
of attorney by the Trustees of the Asylum Com- 
pany to lease any of the French holdings for one 
year. He maintained a store in his house until 
near the time of his death. He was visited at 
Asylum by his brother John, a sailor, who has 
been sometimes confounded with him At Bar- 
tholemew's death a friend wrote of him in the 
National Intelligencer (Washington): 

" The writer was frequently the recipient of his well-known 
hospitality, and the auditor of his social amd animated conver- 
sation, in short, intimately acquainted with him and his many 
amiable traits of character. He had one son, John, whom be- 
fore his death, the Father had the proud satisfaction of seeing 
elected and re-elected to a seat in the highest and most digni- 
fied deliberative body in the United States or the world — the 
Congress of the United States." 

John La Porte was elected auditor in 1822, 
served in state legislature five years, being speak- 
er of the house one year. After two terms in 
congress he was appointed associate judge in 
1840, and surveyor-sreneral of the state in 1845. 
In 1839 he built the large stone house still stand- 
ing just south of the house of Talon. Though 
this propertv has passed out of the family, some 
of his descendants still live on the site of the 
French town. Bartholemew Sr. and his wife and 
son are buried in a little family plot plainly visible 

—105— 



from the river, on a slight elevation back of the 
old home. There are in the family to-day articles 
of wearing apparel brought by him from Cadiz. 
The county seat of Sullivan county is named 
Laporte, after Judge John Laporte ; it is not far 
from Dushore. 



I. Bartholemew Laporte, boru in France 1Y58, 
d. Feb. 11, 1836, m. Dec. 11, 1797, Elizabeth 
Franklin, (born in England). 

Child: 

II. John, b. Nov. 4, 1798, d. Aug. 22, 1862, 
m. Feb. 28, 1822, Matilda, daughter Jabez Cham- 
berlain, and Irene Gilbert, d. Aug. 5, 1838; m. 
Nov. 28, 1840, Eliza Bendle (second wife). 

Child: 

Matilda Jane, b. Oct. 24, 1841, m . ., d . ., 1871. 

Children by Matilda Chamberlain : 

3 Bartholemew, b. Jan. 5, 1823, d. Sept. 15, 
1889. 

4 Elizabeth, b. Nov. 24, 1825, d. Jan. 25, 1885. 

5 Samuel McKean, b. Feb. 25, 1832, d. April 
14, 1896. 

III. Bartholemew, ^ m. July 31, 1835, Emily 
Terry. 

Children : 

6 George B., b. Feb. 14, 1846. 

7 John W., b. July 25, 1856, d. Feb. 6, 1886. 

8 Nancy M., b. May 14, 1859, d. Feb. 18, 1896. 

—106— 



VI. Oeorge^ B., m. Jan. 17, 1Y77, Amanda 
Piatt. 
Children : 

9 Emily G., b. Nov. 25, 18Y7, m. Oct. 2, 1901, 
J. G. Kerrick. 

10 Nellie M., b. Sept. 14, 1879. 

11 Edith J., b. Oct. 24, 1881, d. July 23, 1898. 
VIII. Nancy^ M., m. 28, 1889, Sidney Boving- 

don. 

Children : 

12 John Laporte, b. June 29, 1890. 

13 George Terry, b. Jan. 23, 1893. 

14 Paul B., b. March 20, 1894. 
15. Nancy E., b. Jan. 23, 1896. 

IV. Elizabeth^, m. at Asylum, Nov. 27, 1843, , ^ ■ ^^ w i4-*^ ^ 

Charles F. Welles, i -7 '^^ ^ J 9 L y <^.< ^... ^^^l "T/wr^^^^^'^'^^ ^ - 
Children : ^ 

16 Frederick Laporte. 

17 Eleanor H. 

18 John C. 

19 Louise S., m. Millard P. Murray. 

20 Robert H., d. Feb. 12, 1903. 

21 Elizabeth Franklin. 

22 Henry Fuller, d. 

23 Mary, d. April, 1868. 

24 Jessie. 
Grand -children : 

25 Katherine Louise. 

26 George T. 

27 Andrew T. 

28 Gilberts. 

29 Jessie Welles Murray. 

—107— 



30 Elsie Murray. 

31 Louise Elizabeth Murray. 

V S. McKean^, m. Sept. 1864, Sarah Wright 
Corey, 
Children : 

32 Samuel McK., b. Sept. 27, 1865, m. 1896, 
Addie Hubbell. 

33 Eliza, b. Jau. 10, 1869. 

34 William C, b. April 14, 1871, m. Feb. 17, 
1897, Maud Heimlich. 

XXXIII Eliza^, m. April 4, 1886, F. A. Buck- 
bee; m. April 27, 1901, J. C. St. John. 
Children by Mr. Buckbee : 

35 Raymond, b. Feb. 7, 1888, d. July 12, 1895. 

36 Alta May, b. Aug. 31, 1889. 

37 Wilham McK., b. July 10, 1894. 



-108- 



Hornet. 






was born in Paris 
in 1Y69. He was 
said to have been 
a steward in the 
household of 
Louis XVI, therefore, being in sympathy with 
the royalists he felt it safer to flee from France. 
On his arrival at the Bay of Biscay, he found the 
vessel on which he had engaged passage had al- 
ready sailed. Determined not to be left behind, 
he resolved to try to swim to the vessel ; a rash 
resolve, but successfully accomplished. It was 
an exciting passage, for the vessel was chased by 
an English cruiser. The French vessel had but 
one old cannon, a very long one. There was an 
old gunner on board, who paced back and forth 
excitedly, and, when both ships were becalmed, 
begged the captain to let him load the cannon 
and try to cut off the Englishman's mast head. 
For some time the captain thought the chances 
were too small, and the excited passengers, know- 
ing they were pursued for their wealth rather 
than their persons, gathered all their money and 
other valuables, put into a large bag and entrust- 
ed it to Charles Homet, with the understanding 
that if they were boarded by the English, he 
would cast the bag into the ocean. At last, as 
the vessels drifted nearer, the entreaties of the 
old gunner prevailed. Lying flat on the deck, he 
carefully sighted, discharged the cannon, and the 
mast head was severed, disabling the English ves- 

—109— 



sel, at which sight all the French cheered lustily. 
It was anticipated the English would take to their 
boats and board the French vessel, so the old can- 
non was reloaded ready to destroy them if need be. 
But night fell, there came a freshening breeze, 
and the French sailed out of sight of the English 
before daybreak. 

However, Charles was pleasantly occupied, as 
during the voyage he made or] renewed the ac- 
quaintance of Maria Theresa Scheilinger, a native 
of Strasburg, who had also served in the royal 
household. They were married either on ship- 
board or just after they landed at Bordentown, 
N. J., January, 1Y93. They lived about a year 
at Bottle Hill, N. J., but early in 1794, hearing of 
the Asylum colony, they were naturally attract- 
ed thither. It is possible that they were already 
known to Talon, who quickly showed his confi- 
dence in Charles Hornet by placing him in charge 
of the buildings in the forest intended for the 
hiding place of Marie Antoinette. Homet lived 
at that point for about two years, and then moved 
into the settlement. He purchased several lots 
of the company, and, as has been said, when the 
French deserted the colony, he and Laporte were 
the only two who remained on the ground. He 
lived on the lower part of town plot, near where 
the Methodist church is now located. 

He was a very reserved man, and but little is 
really known of his personal history; the latter 
part of his life he spent in Wysox, where he died. 
He was the last survivor of those who settled at 
Asylum. Judge Stevens, in an obituary, says of 

—110— 



him, " By prudent management and industry he 
soon acquired the means of comfort and ease. 
His integrity was never impeached, and with 
morals unblemished he performed the pilgrimage 
of life, and like the righteous met death with 
hope of immortahty." He died Dec. 29, 1838. 

Charles Homet was twice married, his second 
wife being Cynthia Sicler, by whom he had one 
daughter, Lydia, who married E. T. Fox, of To- 
wanda. As there are no living descendants of 
this wife we will not give genealogy. His de- 
scendants for the most part live in Bradford 
county. A town nearly opposite the old French- 
town was long since named for him, "Homet's 
Perry." 

1 Charles Homet, m..l793 Maria Theresa 
Scheihnger, d June 3, 1823. 

Children: 

2 Charles Frederick, b. May 9,lY93, d. . .1865. 

3 Francis Xavier, b, April 1Y98, d. Jan. 27, 
1890. 

4 Harriet Theresa, b. March 2, 1801, d. Oct. 
18, 1847. 

5 Joseph, b. d. Feb. 26. 1880. 

n Charles F.^ Homet jr., m. Sept. 24, 181 Y, 
Lucy Stevens. 
Children : 

6 Francis, b. July 8, 1820, d. . . 1867. 

7 Theresa, b. July 8, 1822 at Asylum. 

8 Jonathan, b. Feb. 16, 1824. 

9 Edward, b. May 3, 1826. 

10 Milton, b. May 24, 1828, d. . . 

—HI— 



11 Charles S., b. Maj^ 20, 1830, d. . .1902. 

12 Volney, b. March 20, 1833. 

13 Seth, b. March 13, 1836. 

14 Joseph A., b. May 18, 1840. 

VI Francis, ^ m. . . Mary Gilbert, nu omiaren, 
m. . . Ada Chamberlain. 

Children : 

15 Mary. 

16 George S., b. m. 

17 Rachel, b. . . m. . . Wells, has 2 daughters. 

VII Theresa,^ m. Oct. 9, 1848, U. Philemon 
Stone. 

18 Charles E., b. May 2Y, 1849. 

19 Thomas B., b. March 4, 1857, m. 
Children. 

20 Ulysses P., b. Mar, 5, 1856. 

21 Lucy, b. Nov. 9, 1865, m. . . Howard. 
Children : 

Nettie. 
Harriet. 
Genevieve. 
Jonathan. 

Theresa, b. Aug. 9, 1858, d. . . 

VIII Jonathan,^ m. Harriet Donley. 
Children: 

22 Lucy. 

23 Ada. 

IX Edward, ^ m. Maria Mingos. 
Child: 

24 Lucy J. 

X Milton, 3 m. Mary Ann Irvine. 
Children: 

25 Irvine, b . . . d . . . 

—113— 



26 Theresa, b . . . m . . . 

XI Charles S.,^ m. June 11, 1861, Julia Hor- 
ton. 

Children: 

2Y William H., b. March 22, 1862, married. 

28 Eliza H., b. Dec 5, 1865. married. 

29 Francis, b. Aug. 27, 1869. 

XXIX Francis,"^ m. Oct. 8, 1895, Lizzie Mor- 
row. 

Children: 

30 Beatrice F., b. Oct. 4, 1896. 

31 Evelyn F., b. Dec. 3, 1898. 

32 Lida H., b. June 7, 1901. 

XII Volney,^ m. April 30, 1861, Emma Ing- 
ham, b. Nov. 25, 1840, d. Feb. 26, 1893. 

Child: 

33 Jessie, b. April 20, 1863. 

XIII Seth, 3 m. March 4, 1864, Elizabeth Eilen- 
berger. 

Children : 

34 Marietta, b. Mar. 5, 1866. 

35 Charles, M., b. Oct. 6, 186T. 

36 Cora, b. Oct. 21. 1869, d, May 10, 1888. 

37 Anna, b. April 16, 1877, d. April 18, 1877. 

38 Geraldine M., b. June 29, 1876. 

XXXIV Marietta,^ m. June 19, 1890, A. D. 
Nesbit. 

XXXV Charles'^ if., m. Oct. 28, 1896, Caro- 
line Chamberlain. 

Children : 

39 Elizabeth, b. May 25, 1897. 

40 Marietta, b. Mar. 24, 1900. 

—113— 



III Francis^ X. m. June 24, 1828, Lucy- 
Dodge, no issue. 

IV Harriet T., m. Oct. 11, 1822, Simon 
Stevens. 

Children: 

41 Charles, b. Dec. 8, 1823, d. Dec. 5, 1895. 

42 George, b. May 10, 1826, d. Oct. 5, 1897. 

44 Harriet, b. April 20, 1825, d. Sept. 6, i860. 

43 Ellen, b. May 10, 1830. 

45 Mary S., b. Nov. 25, 1841, d. Dec. 25, 1871. 
XII Charles. "^ m. Martha Decker. 
Children: 

46 Beed, b. . . married and has children. 

47 Helen, | , m , . Bert Kingsley, has children. 
i8 Ella, ] "• 

49 Charles, b. . . . m. . . Minnie Kingsley. 

Children: 

Fred. 

Frank. 

XLII George, * m . . . Mary Eyer. 

Children : 

60 Charlotte, b... 

51 Susie, b. . .m. Chas Mayberry, Ison Allen. 

52 George, b. . . m. Frances Turner. 
Children: 

Mary. 
George. 

XLIII Ellen, 4 m. Nov. 21, 1849, Wm. E. 
Storrs. 
Children : 

53 Harriet, b. Nov. 2, 1850, d. Feb. 2, 1895, m. 
Oct. 11, 1871, A. L. Thomas. 

54 William B., b. Aug. 20, 1856, d. Nov. 19, 

1886. 

—114— 



55 Marian E., b. Oct. 6, 1858. 

56 Lillian, b. Nov. 1, 1864. 

XLIV Harriet,* m, M. J. Long, no living 
issue. 

XLV Mary^ S., m. Sept. 25, 18Y0. M. J. Long, 
Child. 

57 Fanny Eleanor, b. Oct. 22, 1871. 
V Joseph, 2 m. . . Orris Brown. 



Children: 




58 Jewett G. 




59 Marion. 




60 Lydia. 




XIV Joseph A., ^ m. 


. . Adelia Gordon 


Children: 




61 Augusta. 




62 Fanny. 




63 Edward. 




64 Minor. 




65 Eleazer. 





Note — Joseph and family should come after 
No. 40. 

LXI Augusta,"^ liii. .. Emory Kerrick. 
Children : 

66 Joseph. 

67 Helen. 

XXVn Wm. H^ Homet, m. Oct. 17, 1889, 
Addie Mitten, b. 1868. 
Children: 

Harold Mitten, b. Aug. 1, 1890. 

Roland Stevens, b. July 16, 1891. 

JuHa Horton, b. Dec. 5, 1892. 

Edna, b. Dec. 27, 1893. 

Marion, b. May 8, 1895. 

—115— 



James Francis, b. Mar. 2, 1898. 

Mildred, b. July 14, 1899. 

Neva, b. June 11, 1900. 

Dorothy Crawford, b. Dec. 26, 1902. 
The above genealogy is incomplete and incor- 
rectly numbered, information came so late and 
so slowly. 



—116- 



APPENDIX. 



Sources of Information. 

In print, in possession of Hist. Soc. of Penna., some public 
libraries, and some private individuals. 

1794 Journal of an excursion to the U. S. of America. 

Mr. Wansey. 

1795 Travels through the U. S. of North America. 

Pub. 1797 in English. 

Duke de la Rocbefoucault Liancourt. 
1800 Travels through the States of North America, p 534. 

Isaac Weld, jr. 
1804 The Trustees, p 35. Alexander Wilson. 

II. 

iWilkes-Barre Gazette. 
Luzerne Federalist. 
Washington Internationalist. 

III. 
Receipted bills of work done in colony notes, &.c. 

In possession of Mrs. Louise Welles Murray. 

IV. 
Letters to Matthias Hollenback, Boulogne and others. 

V. 

Asylum Co. Agreements, Certificate of Stock, Minute Book, 
Catalogue of Sale in Hist. Soc. Penna. Tioga Point Hist. Soc. 

VI. 
County Records of Luzerne and Bradford. 
Lists of taxables, 1795 to 1801. 
VII. 
Family records and traditions of Laporte, Homet, Lefevre, 
Prevost, d' Autremont, Keating, C. F. Welles, Judge Stevens, 
Brown, Moody and Biles. 

VIII. 
Biographic Universelle. 

Nouvelle Biographic Generale. 
Soixante Ans de la vie d'un peuple. 
Biographic de Michaud. 

—117— 



IX. 

Various papers on Asylum written by Rev. David Craft for 
Bradford County History and Wyoming Hist. Soc, also letters, 
records, &c., in "Craft Collection," Tioga Point Hist. Soc. 

X. 

"Memoirs of Comte de Morg " published in U. S. 1898 as 
" A French Volunteer of the War of Independence." 

XI. 

This is the only bill of goods for Asylum known to be iu ex - 
istence, original in possession of Hollenback heirs. 

(A bill of lading for M^ Tallon " M. H.) 
Effets delivree au Charetier 

Pour Monsieur Tallon 
9. Boittes de Vere ^ Vitre 
2. Malles 
200. lbs d'Acier 

6. Boittes de differentes Grandeurs 
1. do. de Moutarde 

1. Bbl. contenant Poids et Mesures 

2. Q. ^"^ de Cordage 

1. Tiercone de Sucre blanc 

4. Sacs CaflEg 

1. Bbl. de Salpgtre 

1, do. Amidon 

1. do. Epicerie 

1. do. Thg 

1. do Quincaillerie 

1. do. Vinegre. 

Les effetb charges sur les Wagons de M. Parrish doivent etre 
rendu a Wilkes Barrg et delivrg au Col. Hollinback, qui payerai 
le voiturage si raison de 11 shellings du cent pesant si comte du 
quel j'ai paye cinquante gourdes* tant pour ces objets que pour 
ceux charge ches M. HoUingsworth et par M. Wright. 
(The above is undated.) 



* "Gourde" is the Franco- American name for the colonial dollar in use 
in West Indies. 

—118— 



Translation of bill of lading. 
Goods delivered to teamster for M. Talon 
9 Boxes window glass 
2 Trunks 
300 lbs of Steel 
6 Boxes of different sizes 
1 Box ©f Mustard 

1 Bbl containing Weights & Measures 

2 hundred weight of cordage 
1 Tierce of white sugar 

4 sacks co£Eee 
1 Bbl saltpetre 
1 " starch 
1 ' ' groceries 
1 " Tea 
1 ' ' Hardware 
1 ' ' Vinegar 

The goods loaded on Mr. Parish's wagons should be for- 
warded to Wilkes Barrg and delivered to Col. HoUinback who 
will pay the cartage at the rate of 11 shillings per hundred 
weight, on account of which I have paid fifty "gourdes" 
more for these things than for those charged to M. Hollings- 
worth and by Mr. Wright. 



LETTER B. 



(Boulogne to Hollenback, Nov. 15, 1793, by the hand of 
(Viscount de Noailles.) 

Standing Stone, 9^^'' ye ^^*^ 1793 
Sir: 

I do not know if M'" Alexander hath delivered you a 
Letter which I wrote to you day before yesterday, 2 hours be- 
fore the arrival of the Viscount de Noailles: in case you had 
not received that letter before the arrival of this one I wish you 
would be kind enough to send me as quick as possible 40 
bushels of slack'd lime and some Lead sheet for four roofs win- 
dows. I want them absolutely to complete the buildings here. 
If you could also send me few Barrils of salted fish on reason- 
able terms you would oblige me, and if you cannot in your an- 

—119— 



swer pray let me know what is their common weight and price. 

In the conversation I had here with M^ De Noailles rendering 
my account, he seemed to me to think I had received from you 
more than one thousand Dollars, and particularly as if it was 
the 66 Dollars & f which you deducted from the 400 Dollars 
you first gave me. I suppose it is a mistake in understanding 
because you may easily recollect the circumstances and if I do 
myself my account in your Ledger is settled right. I wish you 
would examine it with the Viscounte de Noailles and M^ Keat- 
ing and write me about it because I am very certain the deduc- 
tion hath been made. 

I shall want immediately for the payment of the workmen 
Labourers and mechanics I have here about two thousand two 
hundred Dollars, viz. about 1200 by the return of M'^ d'Autre- 
mont who will be at Wilkesbarre as soon as the Viscount de 
Noailles and the other thousand dollars if I don't draw upon 
you for the amount in favour of some of the workmen who re- 
side in your place in about a fortnight or three weeks from this 
date. 

In case your business should call you from town, I hope and 
beg on you that you'll leave a word to M''^ Hollenback or your 
clerk to give the sum I call for : we are too distant from one an- 
other to be or have always somebody on the road for a trifle, 
and I must own it I was really surprised when M^ d'Autremont 
whom I had sent for 1000 dollars came back with 30, and more 
so when on your return from Philadelphia you only sent me 200. 

It now come into my mind that when you said or when M^*- 
de Noailles understood that I had received over than 1000 dol- 
lars may be you included the amount of the goods which you 
have sent me; but on the other side I understand that we are 
to have terms for the payment of the supplies, and keep the 
ready cash for the payment of the worlcmen. 

Therefore I beg on you to clear the matter between M'' de 
Noailles and you, and have it in such a light that I might 
know perfectly on what I can depend. 

I remain with Consideration, Sir, 
Yours, 

Ch^s Bug Boulogne. 

You may deduct on the aforesaid sum the 60 pounds to be 
paid to Messrs Kellogg & Delano. C. B. 

—120— 



LETTER C. 

To the President aud Managers of the Asylum Company, 
Gentlemen : 

I must again repeat my application to you for redress, and 
shall lay my claim before you. 

In 1793, at the request of Mr. Robert Morris, I purchased for 
him and Mr. Talon the Flatts now known by the name of the 
Asylum Flatts, and gave my notes for the balance due the 
owners of the said lands. 

In 1794, Messrs. Morris & Nicholson, and associates Messrs. 
Talon and DeNoailles formed the Asylum Company : the capi- 
tal stock consisting in lands purchased or to be purchased. 
The Asylum Flatts were given in and received by the Board, 
well informed of the above incumbrances : the changes made in 
1795 caused no alteration. 

In October 1801 new articles were made by divers share- 
holders, in order to protect and secure their rights; and on that 
account purchased at Marshal's sales all the estate of the said 
Asylum Company, excepting the proportion of 739 shares. 

The above-mentioned Notes becoming due, I had to pay 
them, because the Asylum Company had no other means of 
procuring money, than by Mr. Morris and Mr. Nicholson, who 
were successively the Presidents of the Company; and their 
difficulties were too great. Mr. Nicholson had even ceased 
paying the interest of six per cent payable to the shareholders, 
— However, in May 1795, being President, he mentioned to me 
that he, and not Mr. Morris, would settle my claim against the 
Company : and on the 25th of the same month, he paid me as 
part of said claim $648.60 on account of the Company. 

Owing to his embarassments, and of course to those ©f the 
Company on account of their connection, I could get nothing 
from him, uor from the Company, nor from Mr. Morris ; and I 
was advised to begin a suit. 

It is evident from the above facts that I have been obliged to 
pay money for lands which the Asylum Company has held, and 
has even sold; and that it has been known the said Company 
from the first that part of their cost was still due me. 

I have constantly and regularly laid in my claim to the Board 

—121— 



and its agents. No change in its constitution can destroy or 
annul it; the payment of $648.60 shews it to have been ac- 
knowledged ; the proportion of 739 shares is at least liable to 
the payment of my claim, if not even the whole property. It 
could not be the intention of the late purchasers to cancel any 
bona-fide debt, but to secure their interests without impairing 
that of others. 

I have long since rendered the Company my account, with 
the exception of some costs ; and I do now expect they will do 
something for me. I have been often and repeatedly told the 
Company had no funds to pay me or any one ; and have waited 
until I saw and heard of the company's selling large tracts of 
Land, and receiving sums of money for them. 

I never should have stood a suit on any of my notes, but 
was advised to do so by my counsel ; that a third person giving 
his note was not obliged to pay, as he had received no value 
for them : but when he saw my notes, he said I would have to 
pay them, which I did. — And now, gentlemen, all I ask is the 
money I have advanced with the interest thereon. The loss of 
my time, as well as my expenses, I will say nothing about. I 
pray you to do something for me. I am an old man, and can- 
not travel much longer for myself or any one else ; and I have a 
family depending on me for support. 

I am, Gentlemen, with due respect, 

Wilkes Barre, Your very humble servt 

Aug. 10, 1814, Matthias Hollenback. 



(Copies of two of the notes referred to in the above letter) 
(both given to Charles Townley, May 38th 1794) 



(1) I Promise to pay unto Charles Townley or his order the 
sum of Nineteen pounds sixteen shillings and 10^ good and 
lawful money of Pennsylvania, to be paid by the first day of 
November next after the date hereof. For the value received 

—123— 



in a Tract of land Purchased for Viscount Noailles on Standing 
Stone flatt. 
As my Hand and Seal this 38th day of — (May) —A. D. 1794. 
(Witness ?) 
JosepJi A. Rathbun. (Signature torn off) 

(Assignment of the above.) 
I do assigne the within note to Rich^ Townley for his own 
use. 

Asylum 1st Oct^ 1794. Charles Townley. 

Note 19.16.10 
11. 7 

20. 8. 5 

(The Second Townley Note.) 
I promise to pay unto Charles Townley the sum of Fifty 
Pounds, Good and Lawful Money of Pennsylvania, to be paid 
by the first day of November which will be in the year A. D. 
1795, for the Value Received in a Tract of Land purchased of 
said Townley for Viscount Noailles on Standing Stone flatts. — 
As witness my hand and seal This 28^^ day of May, A. D. 1794. 

For Matthias HoUenback. 

(SEAL) 
Ben. Perry. 
(Receipts and other Memoranda upon the back of Note No. 2.) 

(1) Received 20th Dec^" 1795 two dollars on the within. 

Charles Townley. 

(2) Reed May 23^ 1796 on this note three pounds eight 
shillings and sixpence. 

L.8. 8. 6. C. Townley. 

(3) Reed May 2Qt^ 1797 of the within note three pounds P. 
C. (i. e. Pennsylvania Currency) his 

Robt X Alexander 
mark 

(4) Reed Oct. 3ist 1797, of the within note Twenty-one 
Pound and Sixpence, Pn Cy : By me, John Harvey 

(5) (In the hand of M. H.) John Alexander says he paid — 

first three pounds 3. 0. 

then 55. 9. 11 

58. 9. 11 
the note is 51. 16. 6 

—133— 



(Boulogne to Hollenback, by the hand of Obadiah Gore 
Esq.) (Nov. 15, 1793) 

Standing Stone. 9ber 15^111793. 
Sir: 

Esq''^ Gore going to your place on account of Business and 
having some business with him to settle, I have drawn this day 
at sight on you & to his order the sum of fifteen dollars which 
I hope you'll pay on presentation and charge it to the account 
of, Sir, Yours 

Ch^s gug Boulogne 

(Boulogne to Hollenback, by the hand of Asa Johnson) 
(Nov. 16, 1793.) 

Standing Stone, 9^^>^^ IQ^^ 1793. 
Sir: 

Confirming my two letters of yesterday one carried to you by 
the Viscount de Noailles the other by Esq''^ Gore, I write to 
you this one to advise you that I have drawn upon you at sight, 
Dollars 42, order of Asa Johnson 
ditto 46, do of William Dunmead 



Total 88 Dollars, to which Draughts I hope you'll give a 
due acceptance. 

I suppose the Viscount hath spoke to you relating the frank- 
lin stove and pipes, which we want here, the weather hinder- 
ing us from having the chimneys made ; therefore I beg you to 
send them as quick as possible. 

I remain with esteem. 
Sir, Yours, 

Ch^s Boulogne. 

(Boulogne to Hollenback, by Joseph C. Town, Nov. 22, 1793.) 

Standing Stone, gber 22^ 1793. 
Sir: 

I received yesterday by M'' d'Autremont the favour of yours 
dated 18th instant, as also the four hundred Dollars which you 
had delivered to him, for which you are credited. And give 

—124— 



you by this notice that I have drawn this day on you at 20 days 
sight the sum of one hundred and eighty dollars order of Joseph 
Curtis Town, to which draught I beg you to give a due accept- 
ance, also credited you of the same. 

You tell me, sir, in your letter of the 4th instant that you 
have received my two draughts on Robt Morris for 2000 Dol- 
lars cash & moreover from the Viscount de Noailles one thous- 
and dollars toward my supplies till January, which makes in 
all three thous^^ Dollars deducting what I had received; in 
your last of the 18th you tell me the 400 Dollars you send me 
are all you can spare ; that as to the supplies you expect to be 
paid as I agreed with you for and no otherwise ; and you add 
you have agreed with the Viscount de Noailles to accept my 
draught on you in the amount of 800 Dollars. I see nothing 
clear and explicit in those letters, and I should like to know on 
what I can depend. All I see thro' this, is that if you don't 
intend to be paid down for our supplies, you ought to have 
more than 400 Dollars to spare ; and if you do intend to be paid 
for those supplies either beforehand or on the delivery, I wish 
to know it as quick as possible and as plain also as possible be- 
cause I shall act accordingly. I believe that I ought to know 
on what ground I am to stand, particularly having business 
with so many hands from all quarters for work & being deter- 
mined to take no engagements that I could not fulfill. 
I remain, with Consideration, 

Sir, Yours, 

Ch^s Bug Boulogne. 

(Boulogne to M. H., Nov. 27, 1793.) 

Standing Stone, 9t>er 37th 1793 
Mathias HoUenback Esq^^ 
Sir: 

This is to inform you that according to your Letter of the 
18th instant I have drawn to-day on you at twenty days sight, 
order of Mi" Elizer Gaylord the of sum twenty-four Dollars to 
which draught I expect you will give full acceptance & charge 
to the account of 

Sir, Yours, 

Ch^s Bug Boulogne. 
—125— 



(Boulogne to M. H., arrival of Dupetit Thouars.) 

Standing Stone, O^er goth 1793. 
Sir: 

M^ Dupetit Thouars with all his hands arrived here yester- 
day, and alsoM^- Perrault; the last brought me a letter from 
M^ Talon, who tells me he expect to be here the 6th or the 8th 
of next month. I cannot use the opportunity which I seize to 
forward you this letter, to send some papers to M'" Talon while 
he will be in your place, but I shall send an express to-morrow, 
in order so meet him in time if possible. 

The boat is starting, therefore I have no time to say anything 
more but that I remain. 

Sir, Yours, 

Ch^^ Bug Boulogne. 

(Boulogne to M. H., by Palmer Shaw, Dec. 3, 1793.) 

Standing Stone, X^er 3d 1793. 
Sir: 

I received by M^ Palmer Shaw your canoe man the two 
Barils of slacked lime you have sent me, as also the 2 Barils of 
Nails, one large anvil, 1 bick horn*, 1 stack to make nails, and 
six bars of Iron which M^ Dupetit Thouars had left behind 
him. 

I also received by M^ Town your letter of the 20^^^ last, ad- 
vising me of the arrival here of Esq^^ Ross's Boat, with differ, 
ent things for the settlement. 

I remain. Sir, 
* Beak horn. Yours, 

Ch^s Boulogne. 

(Boulogne to Hollenback, Dec. 3, 1793.) 

Standing Stone, X^er 3d 1793, 

Sir: 

This is to inform you that according to you Letter of the 
18*^ of November last I have this day drawn on you at twenty 
days sight to M'' John Harvey or order the sum of f ourty two 
Dollars which you'll be kind enough to accept and charge to 

the account of 

Sir, Yours 

Ches Bug Boulogne. 

—126— 



(Boulogne to Hollenback, Feb. 37, 1794.) 

February 37*11 1794. 
Mathias Hollenback Esq^^ 
Sir: 

This is to give you advice of my draught for M^ Talon 
accompt, upon you this day at 10 days sight order of Jeel 
Greener for fifty Dollars to which draught I beg on you to do 
a good reception : you'll oblige, Sir, 
Yours, 

Ch^s Bug Boulogne. 

(Boulogne to Hollenback, April 30, 1794.) 

Azylum, April 30*^ 1794. 

Sir: 

I Received by Benj. Slocum's boat the boxes Casks &ca 
mentioned in your last. This one will be favoured to you by 
M"" Dandlau, one of our gentlemen who is kind enough to go 
to your place to see what can be the reason why Blanchard 
does not come back with the plough, harrow-teeth chains, &ca. 
I have heard here he was taken sick. I am sorry of it, but as 
we want those things immediately on account of sowing, plant- 
ing &ca, you'll oblige me very much to have those articles de- 
livered to him and send them immediately in the canoe Blanch- 
ard had from us ; and as we want also 300 lbs German steel, 600 
lbs iron for cart wheels, i inches thick & 3 inches wide, if it can 
be had, otherwise send it as you generally make use of for your 
wheels; 4 or 5 Bundles of strong nails rods for making nails 
about 5 inches long, half a gross of H-L inges (hinges) 11 
inches, for hanging doors, a gross of H-L 6 inches Inges for 
hanging windows, a couple of doz. of Latches & Ketches ; those 
Inges, Latches & Ketches of the best quality you have and the 
neatest: a small baril of 30 penny nails, 1 baril of 10 penny d^o, 
1 d^o of 8 penny, 1 small ditto of 6 & 4 penny, and the same 
quantity of brads. I shall be obliged to you to deliver to him 
also those articles immediately, and find him some men to come 
up the river with the canoe Blanchard went down with, and 
the one that was left in your care last fall by the Viscount de 
Noailles. I suppose those 3 canoes will be sufl&cient to bring 
the whole, as also 18 spades & 6 shovels, 6 grubbing howes. 

—137— 



I have already Tv-rote to you on account of some fat cattle to 
be sent here. I beg on you also to send with them two good 
yoke of working oxen, and 6 yoke and bow for them and others. 

Pray loose no time la sending a wagon to M"" Heller to have 
the remainder of the goods that are there, for we are in the 
greatest want; and if possible keep your, boat ready to have 
them as well as other wagons that I am informed are coming, 
as quick as possible ; and be kind enough to see if they are in 
good order. 

I don't expect I shall make use of the money which M.^ Keat- 
ing & M.^ Talon writes me to take from you, amounting to 
300 Dollars, other ways than for the payment of the draft al- 
ready given upon you, and a bill I have given M^' Town, which 
amount to 133 Dollars, and which he hath remitted to M^ But- 
ler; or for the payment of small matters which the Bearer may 
want in his journey. 

I remain with esteem, Yours, 

Ch^s Boulogne. 

Please to send some body with the bearer at (to) Blanchard's 
house in order to know exactly what are the things that were 
to be delivered to him. Send me also one doz. small cast iron 
pots, 1 gridiron 6 kettle and 3 good Bushels, stamped. The 
men that are to come with the canoes will find themselves in 
provisions & liquors. 

(Outside address.) 

Math^ Hollenback Esqre Wilkesbarre : in his absence to hi^ 
Lady or their clerk. Favoured by Mr Dandlau. 

(May 30, 1794) 
(John MontullS to Matthias Hollenback) 
Sir: 

When I was last at Wilkesbarre I left a horse at M"^ Amos 
Fell's : the horse has partly lost his sight but is as good a 
horse as possible for the Waggon or Plough. I will take it 
as very kind if you will take it from M'" Fell, who 
wrote me the other day, and sell it to very best ad- 
vantage. The horse is young and would recommend it 
to you for your own use; whether you do it or sell it to any 

—128— 



body else I will thank you to pay M'' Shaw or order what re- 
mains of an execution obtained against me in spite of all jus- 
tice. The ballance is seven pounds five shillings and sixpence. 
I will take it as very kind, and will remain with all esteem, Sir, 
30th May 1 794 Your very ob* serv* 

Col. HoUenback. J. Montullg 

(same to same Julv 13, 1794 ?) 
Sir: 

I can hardly take up the pen, being extremely reduced by 

several fits of fever and ague : however, I exhert myself to 
write a few words, to beg you, sir, to deal for the horse as you 
would for yourself ; tho' he has lost his sight I take it to be 
low at seven pound ten ; but I repeat again that I agree to any 
bargain you'll make about it, and that I wish you to sell it soon, 
as I never intended that you should advance the money, or at 
least for a very short while. 

I think I am pretty safe with regard to the execution. 

I remain, sir, with esteem. 
Asylum, 13th July (1794 ? ) Your h^le Servant, 

Matthias HoUenback. J. Montulle 

(Boulogne to HoUenback, Aug. '94) 
Sir: 

Please pay to M'" B. Slocum the sum of twelve Dollars one 
shilling and threepence, in full payment of the carriage of 23 
hundred weight and 3 quarters of goods by him brought to 
Asylum and sent by you, which sum hath been forgotten by 
you in your last account current. Wilkesbarre August 8th 
1794. 
Math. HoUenback Ch^s Boulogne 

Esq^® Wilkesbarre. for the Asylum Company, 

(Endorsed) 

Received August 8th 1794 of Matthias HoUenback 

The within sum confitte. 

L4.11.3 Benjamin Slocum. 

(J. Montullg to M. HoUenback, Sept, 35th, 1794) 
Sir: 

The following articles I beg you will be so kind as to se- 
cure in your store, to be forwarded to Asylum to Mr. Keating 

—139— 



by the first opportunity. As I intend to move up very soon 
with part of my family, I should like to know if the water will 
allow to go up in a small boot, and whether such thing might 
be procured at Wilkesbarre. In case the water being too low 
for boats, would it be a matter of possibility to hire a canoe to 
carry one ton. I shall take it as a great kindness. Sir, if you 
will take the trouble to give me such information, and likewise 
if horses fetch a good price in your place ; as when I move up 
I shall have two capital horses to spare. 

I remain with all esteem, Sir 
Col. HoUenback. Your very ob* Serv* 

Pottsgrove, 25th 7bre, 1794. J. MontuUg. 

The load consists of three chests covered with leather and 
skin, two chests of plain wood, one large bundle containing 
beddings, Nos. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17; six articles and one large 
copper kettle. 

(John MontuUg to M. HoUenback, Nov. 26, 1794) 
Sir: 

I expect that before long M'' Heller will forward you some 
goods marked Sibert No 1 — 2 — &c, &c., and likewise some 
marked MT, and numbered. I beg you will be so kind as to 
use the first opportunity to send them up to Asilum. Tou will 
be pleased to let me know what may (be) the expense of the 
carriage and storage ( — ) I will make immediate remit- 
tance. 

M^s Sibert and M^^ La Roue beg to be both remembered to 
M''^ HoUenback. Please to receive my grateful thanks for your 
kindness to us during our stay at Wilkesbarre, and believe me 
with all esteem. Sir, Your very o^* h^le gerv* 

Asilum, 26, 9b. 1794. J. Montullg 

(J. MontuUg to Mrs. Matthias HoUenback, undated; 
probably in March or April 1795) 
Madam : 

This moment comes to my knowledge that M''^ Sibert, 
who chiefly owns the goods deposited in your store room, had 
in date of the ff^^ of March writtea to M^ Blanchard to take up 
the said goods. M^ Colin has done the same ; therefore it is 

—130— 



not in my power to disappoint him. This is a circumstance un- 
known to me till this moment. I beg you will order the whole 
to be delivered to Mr. Blanchard ; tho' it seems that your boat 
will be the first ready; but according to the above mentioned 
letter I should certainly be blamed. 

I have the honour to be, with great esteem, Madam, 

Your very ob^ Serv^ 

J. Montullg 

(J. Montullg to Matthias Hollenback) 

Asylum April 29th 1796. 
Sir: 

I never was so surprised and disappointed as when I 
heard three days previous to the favour of yours, that M^ Nich- 
olson had not paid part of a pretty large sum of money he was 
to lodge in M'" de Mahy's hands on my account. 

I have written about it by this post. I beg it as a great 
favour that you would wait for an answer, which I shall com- 
municate to you : if not satisfactory I will make provisions 
otherwise to take up my note. 

I remain, with, high esteem. Sir, Yours, 

J. Montullg 



—131- 



List of Taxables at Asylum. 

Wyalusing Assessment 1796, earliest kuown list ( Craft ) 
with spelling used by assessor 
Brunert, Peter 
Buzard, Laurence 
Brovost, John 
Bigdelier, John 

Beloughne Chas ( Wysock's roll ) 
Colony, Mansey 
Demene, Francis 
Dandilott, Henry 
Dutremont, Widowe 
Fromenta, Elijah 
Keeton, John 
Lafaber, Bartholemew 
Laporte, Bartholemew 
La Roue, Caz'a 
Lefeber, Lewis 
Montale, John 
Noailles, Guy 
Obray, George 
Reo, Francis 
Sebart, Sophia 
Talon, Omer 

1799 
Blacons, Laucretius 
Buzzard, Larence 
Becdeliver, John 
Calling, Mansey 
Demene, Francis 
Keating 6 houses 

Larou, Casimfere 
Lefaver, Antony 
Lefaver, Lewis 
Laroue, Jas. 
Laporte, B 
Noailles, Guy 
Homet, Charles 

—133— 



Rosset, John 
Regniei, Peter 

Bedeliver, John 
Desmesne, Francis 
Laport 

Larou, Carisime 
Lefebe, Ant. 
Laroue, Jos. 
Hornet, Charles 
Rosset. John 

Bedelevere, John 
Brevost, John 
Buzzard, Law 
Collein, 

De Noailles, Louis 
Demene, Fr. 
Hornet 
Laporte 
Laroue, C. 
Lefeber, L. 
Lefeber, A. 
Laroue, Jos. 
Regaier, P. 
Rosset, Mer. 



1800 



1801 



store & house 

Gristmill 
House & distillery 



1802 



1000 acres unimproved land 



Bigdelaver, John 
Brevost, John 
Buzard, Laurance 
Asylum Co. 
Collins, Mansey 
Demene, Frances 
Hornet, Charles 
Leport, Bartholemew 
Lefever, Anthony 
Lefever, Lewis 
Obrey, George 
Regnea, Peter 
These assessments are recorded as in Wyalusing tv^p. 

—133— 



Plan of Association of the Asylum 
Company, 

AS ESTABLISHED APRIL 23, 1794— 
Improved April 27, 1795. 

Articles of agreement made and entered into this 22nd day of 
April, 1794, by and between Robert Morris, Esq. of the City 
of Phila. and Senator from the State of Pa. in the Senate of the 
U. S. on behalf of himself and others his associates of the one 
part and John Nicholson Esqr. of said city. Comptroller Gen- 
eral of the State of Pa. on behalf of himself & others his as- 
sociates of the other part: Witnesseth — that the said parties 
have entered into an association or company, for the purpose 
of settling & improving one or more tracts of country within 
the state of Pa., having already acquired the titles to a number 
of valuable tracts of land, situated in Luzerne, Northumberland 
&* Northampton Counties, which they are ready to dispose of 
to actual settlers and to such others as will send settlers upon 
the lands they purchase. And in order to insure the best and 
most faithful management of the affairs of this Company for 
the benefit not only of said parties, but also of all who may 
eventually become interested therein, the following articles are 
agreed to & adopted viz : — 

1. This association shall be styled the Asylum Company, 

2. The capital stock of this Co. shall consist of lands, some 
of which are already purchased, & others are to be purchased, 
within the state of Pa. to the extent of 1,000,000 acres there- 
about. 

3. The said capital stock in lands shall be represented by 
so may shares or actions, of 200 acres each, as will amount to 
the quantity of land actually and bona fide the property of the 
company. 

4. The affairs and business of this Company shall be con- 
ducted by a Board of Managers, to be elected annually by the 
holders of shares or actions, each share entitling the holder to 
a vote to be given personally or by proxy duly authorized. 

5. The Board of Managers shall consist of a President & 4 

—134— 



members to be chosen from amongst the share holders of whom 
the President and 2 members shall be a quorum competent to 
transact business. 

5. The said board shall have authority to employ a secre- 
tary & treasurer if necessary. 

7. The said Board of Managers shall be authorized to em- 
ploy one or more agent or agents, & one or more surveyor or 
surveyors to be stationed at the most convenient place, for the 
sale & survey of lands to be bought & sold by the company. 

9. The Board of Managers shall have power to purchase for 
& on acc't of the Co. any lands in Pa. particularly those lying 
in the tract of district of county above described, (provided al- 
ways that the quantity belonging to Co. shall not exceed 1,000,- 
000 acres) on the lowest price and the best terms they can ob- 
tain them, consistently with the real interests of the Co. 

9. The title to all such lands shall be vested in the Presi- 
dent of the Board of Managers for the use of the Co., who 
shall execute a declaration of trust to be deposited in the Bank 
of the TJ. S., subject only to the occasional calls of the 
Board of Managers duly met to transact business, for the pur- 
pose of making additions thereto, as purchases are made, & in 
order to show the same to share-holders or purchasers when re- 
quired. 

10. The Board of Managers shall have authority to sell or 
contract, either by themselves or by means of their agents, for 
the sale of any lands or lots belonging to the company with 
such purchasers as shall agree to become settlers or shall engage 
to place settlers on the lands or lots they purchase. The price 
to the first purchases, or those who purchase within one year, 

shall not be less than |2 per acre nor shall more than acres 

be sold to any one person. The purchasers may have credit for 

5 yrs, paying interest to commence the 3rd year at the rate of 

6 per ct. per annum on the amounts for which they take credit. 
Purchasers paying ready money shall have a discount of 2 yrs 
on the amount they pay & also a discount of interest for the 
unexpired time of 2 yrs if they make payments after the pur- 
chase and previous to the expiration of 2 yrs. 

11. The President for the time being, shall in presence 
of the Board of Managers, execute all deeds of conveyance to 

—135— 



the purchasers of which proper record shall be kept by the 
Secretary in a book to be opened by him for the purpose, which 
book shall be produced at every meeting of the board. 

12. The board or their agents may covenant to make title 
to the purchasers when the payments are completed, or title 
may be granted immediately & mortgage taken to secure the 
payment of the bonds. 

DUTIES OF SECBETARY. 

13. The Secretary shall attend every meeting of the Board 
of Managers, he shall keep regular minutes of their proceed- 
ings, he shall summon such meetings when directed by the 
President or upon application of any two or more members of 
the Board or upon application of 20 share-holders, by sending 
a notice in writing to the President and each member, mention- 
ing the time and place of such meeting. 

14. Vacancies which may happen in the Board of Managers 
by death, resignation or removal to a distance of any member 
or members may be supplied by an election of the board for the 
remainder of the year, until the next general election by the 
share-holders. 

15. The Board of Managers shall have power to make use 
of the Bank of the U. S. instead of a treasurer, if they find 
upon experiment that they can make it answer the purpose; 
if not, they may choose a treasurer who shall be paid for his 
services, & give security for the faithful discharge of his trust. 
He shall deposit all the monies of the Co. in the bank for the 
use of the Co. which shall only be drawn out at such times & in 
such sums as the Board of Managers may direct ; and he shall 
safely keep all notes bonds & mortgages & other obligations of 
the Co. He shall collect all monies for the same as they be- 
come due & place the sums he so collects in the bank in man- 
ner aforesaid. 

16. The Board of Managers shall cause a set of books to be 
opened & kept (by the treasurer if they shall choose one, or by 
the Secretary if they have no Treasurer) wherein shall be regu- 
larly entered a proper account of all the purchases, of all the 
sales, of all monies received and paid, of all notes bonds & 
mortgages & specialties of every sort & kind, & of all expendi- 

—136— 



tures, & these acc'ts shall be so settled & adjusted, and an ab- 
stract thereof shall together with the said books, be laid before 
the shareholders at every annual meeting to be held for the 
purpose of electing the Board of Managers, & at every such 
meeting the Board of Managers shall give a full & fair acc't of 
their proceedings & of the actual state of the Go's affairs en- 
trusted to them. 

17. The Board of Managers shall provide an office in the city 
of Philadelphia wherein to hold their meetings, & the Secretary 
shall attend on such days in each week and hours in those days, 
as the Board may direct, for the purpose of laying before any 
shareholder that may desire it, the book of minutes the book of 
acc'ts, & to give such other information respecting the estate 
and affairs of the Co. as will convey a true idea of the actual 
situation. 

HOW TRANSFERS ARE TO BE MADE. 

18. The certificate for shares or actions shall be transfer- 
able at the pleasure of the holder, but the transfers must be 
made by the holder in person, or by his atty, at the office of the 
Board of Managers in presence of the Secretary who shall keep 
a record of all such transfers in a book to be kept for that purpose, 
which transfer shall be signed by the person so transferring, 
who shall also deliver up the old certificate & new ones shall 
be issued to the same am't to the transfere. 

19. The Board of Managers shall employ all monies rec'd in 
the purchase of lands or in paying for what they have until 
their contracts & engagements shall be performed and fulfilled ; 
after which they shall declare & pay such dividends every year, 
or oftener if sums are rec'd to make it worth while to the stock 
holders as will absorb the am't of their receipts to the time of 
such declaration. 

20. The Board of Managers shall cause a statement of the 
Go's, purchases & sales to be made out & printed every 
six mos. which shall show the quantity of land purchased 
to that time, & the prices pd for the same also the quantity 
sold to that time and the prices obtained, so that a fair esti- 
mate can be made of what remains, and of the rising value 
thereof ; one copy of the said statement shall be regularly trans- 

—137— 



mitted to each share holder agreeably to the address which he 
shall leave at the Go's office. 

21. This Co. shall exist for 15 yrs, and at the end of that 
time, all remaining lands, bonds, notes, debts & other property 
of the Co, shall be sold for cash only, at public auction under the 
direction of the Board of Managers the premises being first ad- 
vertised for 6 consecutive months in the public newspapers of 
most note in Pa, & such other of the states as the Board shall 
think necessary, fixing the time and place of holding said sale. 

22. Within 60 days after such sale, the whole acc'ts of said 
Co. shall be made up & closed & the whole balance shall be 
equally divided amongst the number of shares, & such dividend 
shall then be payable to every share holder upon demand at the 
bank of the U. S. or such other bank as the Board may then 
appoint & announce in the newspapers. 

Here follows the usual covenants each party binding him- 
self in the sum of $1,000,000 to faithfully carry out these arti- 
cles and they are signed by the parties — Robert Morris & John 
Nicholson, in presence of John Keating, & Garrett Cottringer 
April 23 1794. 

Feb 21, 1795 it was resolved to pay a dividend of 6 per ct 
per annum on each action estimated at $500. & in case suffi- 
cient monies were not received to make these payments, the 
board was to borrow enough to enable them to make the payt. 

New Articles. Whereas April 23 1794 certain articles of 
April 25. 1795. agreement containing a plan of association 
or Co. styled the Asylum Co. were entered into between Robt. 
Morris & John Nicholson in behalf of himself & others his 
associates of the other part, as by reference thereunto may 
more fully and at large appear. 

& whereas The interests of the Associates aforesaid & also of 
the said Robert Morris in the said Co. hath been purchased by 
the aforesaid John Nicholson whereby the right of the whole 
is vested in the said Nicholson except as to the number of shares 
which have been heretofore sold. 

(The exact date not to be found.) 

& whereas the capital stock of the Co. consisting of 1.000.000 
acres of land in Pa. except so far forth as the same is repre- 

—138— 



sented by the shares heretofore sold as aforesaid is now the 
property of the said J. Xicholson 

& whereas There were sundry engagements made by the Board 
of Managers by the said articles constituted in behalf of the 
Co. part whereof are designed to be altered as to shares to be 
disposed of in future & others to be confirmed 
& whereas other improvements in said plan are deemed neces- 
sary, it is agreed by and between the said John Nicholson of 
the one part, & those who shall become purchasers or holders 
of shares in the Asylum Co. of the other part, except the holders 
of shares already sold who may not choose to commute them 
for certificates as hereinafter permitted 

1 The name plan and style of Association shall be the same 
as contained in the articles entered into April 22, 1794 except 
so far as the same shall be altered, amended or supplied, and 
the residue of said articles are hereby ratified & confirmed 

2 The resolutions of the board of Aug 26. 1794 & Feb 21. 
1795 shall be annulled 

3 The lands composing the 1.000.000 acres shall be represent- 
ed by 5000 shares of 200 acres each, are situated in the counties 
of Luzerne & Northumberland, as the boundaries of the said 
Co's were established at the date of the articles first mentioned. 

4. Title vested in Trustees. 

The said John Nicholson shall cause the titles to said lands 
to be vested in trustees who shall hold the same in joint ten- 
ancy in trust to convey the same, agreeably to these articles & 
the articles made & executed April 22. 1794 & no certificate 
shall issue for shares to a greater amount than shall represent 
the quantity so conveyed to the trustees. 

5. The present trustees are Jaredlngersol, Esq., Atty Gen 
of the state of Pa. & Matthew Clarkson Mayor of the city of 
Phila & in case of the death or removal to a greater distance 
than 10 miles from the city of Phila of any trustee, or in case 
of resignation, another trustee shall be appointed by the Board 
of Managers & such conveyances made as shall vest the land in 
like manner in new Trustees. 

6 There shall be no purchases made of land by the Co., the 
monies arising from the sales of their property to be divided 
among the shareholders except such part as shall be deemed 

—139— 



necessary by a unanimous vote of the Board of Managers to be 
laid out in making roads or other improvements to give an 
additional value to the residue of the property of the Co. 

7 All buildings & improvements on the lands of the Co. are 
the property of the Co. & to be disposed of as the Board of 
Managers may deem best. All the debts of the Co. for those 
improvements or any other services rendered or done the Co. 
shall be paid out of the sales of the property of the Co. 

8. So much of Art. 10 as limits and directs either the price 
of laud or terms of credit is annulled. 

CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP. 

9 Every owner of one or more shares shall become a member 
of this Co. & a party to these articles in virtue of such 
ownership as fully to all intents & purposes whatever as if such 
owners had actually signed & sealed these presents, & cease to 
be so when he parts with his share or shares. 

SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS. 

10 When two or more persons shall claim the same land un- 
der different contracts with the Board of Managers or where any 
person or persons shall claim a tract or tracts of land under 
contract or contracts with the Board of Managers & the said 
board shall dispute such claim, in such cases a suit or suits 
may be commenced vs the said board, in the Co. of Phila. in 
the Supreme Court of Pa. or in the federal circuit Court of Pa. 
by the person or persons claiming, & one or more feigned issues 
joined in order to determine the rights of the parties & trials 
had thereon, in the City of Phila, & the said Board shall re- 
quest the trustees to convey the land so claimed to the person 
or persons in whose favor such determination shall be had. 
(The farther part of this article defines at length the modes of 
process, &c.)" 

11 All covenants articles of agreements or contracts made by 
the Board of Managers or by their agents for the sale of lands 
shall be to and in the name of the individuals composing the 
Board & shall be to them or the survivor of them, & the exec- 
utors & administrators of such survivor to this intent expressly, 
that suits shall be brought in their name for the use of the said 

—140— 



Co. (also provides for depositing contracts &c with the Secre- 
tary.) 

12 The Trustees for the time being shall upon receiving a 
request in writing signed by the President & Board of Managers 
attested by the Secretary execute a deed or deeds of convey- 
ance in fee simple to the purchaser or purchasers for any tract 
or tracts of land which may have been sold by the Board or 
their agents; it being 1st certified by the said President & 
attested by the Secretary in the manner as before provided to 
the said Trustees, that the consideration money hath been paid 
or secured to be paid, if paid that it hath been deposited in 
one of tlie banks to the credit of the President & Managers of 
this Co. if secured that such securities have been deposited 
agreeably to Art 11. 

13 The President & Managers shall be elected^every year at 
the Co's office April 8 after public notice given. 

14 It is agreed by the said J. Nicholson party of the 1st 
part, that the dividend or dividends shall not be less than $30 
per annum on each share issued under this agreement, and that 
if the cash arising from the sales does not amount to that sum, 
he the said party of the 1st part doth hereby promise and bind 
himself his heirs and administrators to advance & lend to the 
Board of Managers such sum as may be necessary in addition 
to what they have on hand of the Co's money to enable them 
to pay $30 on each share, the Board of Managers granting their 
obligation to the said party of the 1st part to repay said ad- 
vances out of the 1st monies they may receive thereafter on 
acc't of the Co. except such as the said Board are obliged by 
Art. 10 to pay to persons recovering vs. the Board & also ex- 
cepting the monies received for a contingent fund. 

15 The President and Managers shall be allowed a commis- 
sion of 2^ fo on the amt of sales they make, receivable by them 
only out of the payments actually reed, or as the cash comes into 
the Co's possession, which commissions shall be divided in 5 
equal parts 1 for the President & 1 for each member of the 
Board, & each manager each year shall receive $1000 on acct 
of the same. 

16 The, President and Managers shall establish a mode by 
which dividends can be paid m Europe. 

—141— 



17 (Form of the certificates of stock.) 

18 The members of the old Co. may at their option transfer 
their stock to the new, otherwise their rights are not impaired. 

19 (Method of Altering or Amending the plan.) 

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT & ASSOCIATION. 

Made & executed the 26th day of October Ad 1801 between 

the members of the Asylum Company. 

Whereas the Asylum Company as constituted by articles, 
dated April 22, 1794 & improved by articles dated April 25, 
1795 & duly recorded could not be perfected in the manner 
therein proposed, in consequence of the inability of Robert 
Morris and the late John Nicholson to perform their covenants 
therein contained, arising from pecuniary embarassments & 
judgments obtained against them and the subscribers hereto 
have been in consequence compelled to preserve and protect 
their rights & interests in the said company by purchase made 
and about to be made at the Marshal's sales for the district of 
Pa whereby all the interest and estate belonging to the said 
Co. excepting the proportion of 739 shares therein, are fully 
and completely vested in us — We do for ourselves and each of 
us, our and each of our heirs, executors, administrators, & as- 
signs mutually covenant, promise, grant & agree each with the 
rest & with each other in the manner following, that is to say, 

Article 1. That for the purpose of advancing and consolida- 
ting the interests of all concerned in the purchase aforesaid as 
well as of those who are holders of the said 739 shares — the 
whole estate and interest so purchased or which may hereafter 
be purchased, shall be divided into 1261 equal parts or shares, 
each of which shall be represented by a certificate thereof, in 
such form as the Managers herein after mentioned shall declare 
& establish, & shall be held in the following proportions or 
numbers, that is to say 





shares 




shares 


Wm. Cramond 


221 


Archibald McCall 


230 


Louis de Noailles 


95 


James G-ibson 


70 


Abram Dubois 


54 


William Cramond 


208 


Robert Porter 


54 


John Ashley 


329 




424 




837 




837 










= 1261 total 





But such of the foregoing, as claim under shares actually is- 
sued under the former Co. shall transfer & deliver up the cer- 
tificates of such shares prior to receiving certificates under this 
association. 

Article II. That the holders of the said 739 shares shall be 
entitled to exchange the same within such time, and in such 
manner as the managers under this Association may limit & di- 
rect, for an equal number under this Association upon transfer- 
ring the same with all the right title & interest under the afore- 
said articles for the benefit of this Association, & the shares so is- 
sued in exchange shall in all respects be on the same footing as 
the rest derived from the said purchase. 

Article III. That each share issued under this association, 
which shall be denominated the Asylum Comfany shall repre- 
sent & entitle the holder to that portion of interest in the same 
that such share bears to the whole number issued, so that in 
case all the said 739 shares shall be exchanged then the whole 
number under the same shall be 2000 shares & each share rep- 
resent & entitle the holder to a 3000th part of the whole capi- 
tal stock of the Association. 

Article IV. That the legal title to the lands of this Associa- 
tion shall be vested as heretofore in 3 or more trustees, who 
shall hold the same im joint tenancy, in trust to convey the 
same to purchasers and others, agreeably to the articles & in 
case of the death, resignation or removal of them, or either of 
them, to a greater distance than 10 miles from the city of 
Phila. the B(>ard of Managers shall supply the place of such 
Trustee or Trustees by appointing another or others & such 
conveyances shall be made as shall vest the titles in the new 
Trustee or Trustees, in the same manner as they were in the 
former & so on toties qiioties. 

Article V. All the concerns and interests of this Association 
shall be conducted & managed by five persons to be annually 
chosen by and from among the shareholders, who shall form a 
Board of Managers.:! The said Board shall elect one of their 
number President. The President & 1 manager or 3 managers 
in the absence of the President shall constitute a quorum to 
transact all business except the sale or purchase of any property 

—143— 



of, or for this Association wbicli shall require the consent of 4 
of the Board. 

Article VI. The managers shall be chosen by the share hold- 
ers in person or by proxy annually on the 2nd Monday in Jan. 
at the Go's office. The election shall commence at the hour of 
10 A. M. & public notice thereof shall be given at least 15 days 
before the election — the number of votes to Tvhich each share 
holder shall be entitled at every election shall be according to 
the number of shares he shall hold in the proportions following 
that is to say 

For 1 share and not more than 2 — 1 vote 

For every 2 shares above 2 & not exceeding 10 — 1 vote 

" " 4 " " 10 " " 30—1 " 

" " 6 " " 30 " " 60—1 " 

u .1 8 " " 60 " " 100—1 " 

" " 10 " " 100 " " 1 " But 

no share holder shall be entitled to more than 30 votes & no 
share shall confer the right of suffrage unless held three 
calendar months before the election. For the remainder of the 
present year and until the next election William Cramond, John 
Ashley, Louis de Noailles, John Travis & James Gibson shall 
be & they are hereby appointed managers of this Associa- 
tion. 

Article VII. The Board of Managers shall have power to 
settle and improve, to sell & dispose of the land, property 
and stock of this Association, in such manner & upon such 
terms as they shall from time to time think proper, & where 
any claims of title by others may interfere with those of this 
Association they may compound, compromise & settle the 
same by relinquishing the claims of the Association or other- 
wise & direct such instruments to be executed by the trustees 
as may be necessrry to carry such settlement into complete ef- 
fect (The Board of Managers fix rates and receive shares in pay- 
ment) & the said Board of Managers shall generally have power 
to do & perform all such acts & things & employ such persons 
as may be needful & necessary for carrying into effect the de- 
signs of this Association. 

Article VIII. The Board of Managers shall for the purposes 
aforesaid, have power from time to time to raise such sums of 

—144— 



money as they may judge necessary by equal rates, or assess- 
ment on the shares, and the sum so from time to time rated on 
each share, shall be published in one or more daily papers in 
the City of Philadelphia for thirty days, to give the share- 
holders notice thereof. And all shares on which such assessments 
shall remain unpaid six months from the expiration of the said 
thirty days, shall be thereby forfeited, and so much thereof 
(but not less than one share) as shall be necessary to pay such 
assessments and charges, shall be sold for the benefit of the as- 
sociation and if purchased by the Managers shall be held in 
trust for the Association, in the manner mentioned in the last 
article. 

Article IX. The Board of Managers shall appoint a Secretary 
at such salary as they may fix, & also such Agents Surveyors & 
other officers & at such compensations as they from time to 
time shall fix and determine. 

Article X. The Secretary shall attend the meetings of the 
Board of Managers, he shall keep regular minutes of their pro- 
ceedings ; he shall summon such meetings when so directed by 
the President, or upon application of any two or more members 
of the Board, or upon application in writing of any five persons 
holding more than twenty shares, by sending a notice in writ- 
ing to the President and each member, mentioning the time 
and place ©f such meeting. 

Article XI. The Board of Managers shall cause a set of books 
to be opened and kept by the Secretary wherein shall be regu- 
larly entered a proper account of all the purchases, of all sales, 
of all monies received and paid, all notes, bonds, mort- 
gages and specialties, or notes of every sort and kina, and of 
all expenditures ; and these accounts shall be so settled and ad- 
justed as that an abstract thereof shall together with the said 
books, be laid before the shareholders at every annual meeting 
to be held for the purpose of electing managers; and at every 
such meeting, the Board of Managers shall give a full and fair 
account of their proceedings and of the actual state of the 
Company's estate and of the affairs entrusted to them. 

Article XII. The Board of Managers shall provide an office 
in the city of Phila. where their meetings shall be held, & the 
Secretary shall attend on such days in each week & hours of 

—145— 



those days as the Board may direct for the purpose of laying 
before any shareholder who may desire it, the book of minutes, 
the books of accounts & to give such other information respect- 
ing the estate & affairs of the Co. as will convey a true idea of 
their actual situation. 

Article XIII. The compensations of the managers shall be 
fixed by the shareholders at an annual meeting and when once 
fixed shall so remain until altered at a subsequent annual meet- 
ing such compensation, however, in no case shall exceed five 
hundred dollars per annum for each manager. 

Article XIV. Vacancies which may happen in the Board of 
Managers by death resignation or removal, of one or more mem- 
bers to a greater distance than ten miles from the City of Phil- 
adelphia may be supplied by an election of the Board for the 
remainder of the time for which the former manager was 
elected. 

Article XV. All the monies of the Association shall be de- 
posited as received in one or all of the Banks in the city of 
Philadelphia, to the credit of the Association and shall be 
drawn therefrom only by checks, signed by the Secretary and 
countersigned by two of the managers. 

Article XVI. The certificate for shares shall be transferable at 
the pleasure of the holders, the transfer must be made in per- 
son or by an attorney in the presence of tlie Secretary in a book 
to be kept for that purpose to be signed by the person trans- 
ferring & a memorandum thereof indorsed & signed by the 
Secretary on the certificate. In case of lost certificates of 
shares, the Board shall prescribe the mode by which the same 
may be renewed. 

Article XVII. All monies rec'd from sales or otherwise which 
shall remain after deducting the necessary charges and ex- 
penses & reserving what may in the opinion of the Managers 
be necessary for the current expenditures & incidental charges 
shall be divided equally among the shareholders of which the 
Managers shall give public notice. 

Article XVIII. Every holder of one or more shares, by trans- 
fer or exchange of the shares of the old Co. shall thereby be- 
come a party to these Articles as fully to all intents & pur- 

—146— 



poses whatever, as if such holder had actually signed & sealed 
these presents, & cease to be so when he parts with his share 
or shares. 

Article XIX. The trustees for the time being shall upon re- 
ceiving a request in writing signed by the Board of Managers 
& attested by the Secretary convey such real estate or prop- 
erty vested in them as may be mentioned in such request & in 
manner as therein desired. 

Article XX. The capital stock of this Association consists of 
all the land conveyed under the former articles, at that time 
supposed to consist of a million acres, for the whole of which 
warrants have been obtained from the state. As the whole of 
this amount may not be obtained from the interfering claims of 
others, the managers may, if they think it advantageous to the 
Co. purchase lands to supply any deficiency in this quantity, 
provided such purchases in addition to the quantity ascertained 
to belong to the Association shall not exceed 1.000.000 of acres. 

Article XXI. This Association shall continue for 15 years & 
at the end of that time all remaining land, bonds, notes, debts 
& other property of the Association shall be sold for cash of 
approved notes, not exceeding 90 days at public auction under 
the direction of the Board of Managers the premises being first 
advertised for 6 succeeding months in one or more newspapers 
of Phila., N. Y. & Baltimore, fixing the time & place for hold- 
ing the said sale. 

Article XXII. Within 6 months after such sale all the ac- 
counts of the said Association shall be made out & closed, & 
the whole balance shall be equally divided among the number 
of shares, & such dividend shall then be payable to every share 
holder upon demand, at the Bank of the U. S. or such other 
Bank as the said Board may then appoint & announce in the 
newspapers. 



—147- 



(L. 


S.) 


CL. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 


(L. 


S.) 



In witness whereof the parties to these presents have inter- 
changably set their hands and affixed their seals the day & year 
first above written. 

Sealed & delivered in William Cramond 

presence of Louis de Noailles 

John Markoe Abraham Dubois 

William Nicholson Robert Porter 

Archibald McCall 

James Gibson 

William Cramond 

John Ashley 

On the 36th day of November in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred & one, before me Edward Shippen 
Esq Chief Justice of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania per- 
sonally appeared William Cramond, Louis deNoailles, Abraham 
Dubois, Robert Porter, Archibald McCall, James Gibson & 
John Ashel, in the above written articles of agreement & Asso- 
ciation named, and in all due form of law acknowledged the 
same to be their and each of ther act and Deed and desired that 
it may be recorded as such. Witness my hand and seal the day 

«fe year aforesaid. 

Edward Shippen (L. S.) 



—148— 



French Accounts in Possession 
of Author, 

Dates covering year 1794 and a few in 1795. most 
of them written in French; 26 in all; for examples 
see among illustrations one signed by Louis Paul 
d'Autremont and one signed by Talon. 



Eight signed by Dupetithouars. being certifi- 
cates of work done at the hig house, inside and 
out; building of shops for Charles, Picard and 
Aubrey; fitting up ' ' the priest's " house; cleaning 
cellar of Xores" house; Blanchard's account for 
mason work, or assisting mason "Donmead"" in- 
cluding " one-third of a day hunting slate stones 
for Beaulieu's chimney;" account of kettles 
bought of Enoch Skeer for potash making: one 
agreeing to pay for a canoe which he had bor- 
rowed and ''which has been taken away from 
our landing." 

Six signed by Talon, including account of 
Joseph Town, carpenter, for building barn for 
Talon; same for work on Beaulieu's house, and 
barn: work on '.' la grande maison " (see illustra- 
tion) account of shop keepers and servants. 

An order on Mr. Hoops to pay M. Montulle for 
planks for *' la grange, and other houses belong- 
ing to the company." 

—149— 



Joseph Lowry gives an order on Dupetithouars 
calling him "Captain Petetiox." 

Three receipts of Brevost for money received 
from "Asylum Company," seventy dollars of 
which was for clearing land sold him by the 
company. 

Two receipts for money paid by Adam Hoops 
to Louis Paul d'Autremont and one to Alexander 
d'Autremont. 

Eeceipted account of Wallois, very evidently 
the butler whom Talon dismissed. 

Several receipts for money paid by company, 
signed Lefebvre, one to M. Chedricoorte. 

Two signed by Beaulieu, accounts with Hoops. 

One signed by Aubrey, giving power of attor- 
ney to Talon to close up his accounts, as he was 
evidently leaving Asylum. 



—150- 



H 100 89 




° " ■ r r " 



Houses built or Inhabited by the French, local 
A. P. Biles ; g French, afterwarJ J. Biles ; h Hornet ; i French, 
Hornet, now standing ; p French, near C, Stevens' barn ; q Fren 
Laporte : t French tstiU house ; u Aubrey's smith shop ; 

Cemeteries : Beginning with date of settlement up to 
comparision with population than is known in any such radius in 
i old French ; i? abandoned about 1812 ; 5 abandoned about 1630 ; 



ndic 



z nnap by letters : a Talon ; 6 probably Boulogne: c Sibert, described in deed ; d Schufeldt, afterward Frenoh ; e Wheeler ; /French, afterward 
alterwar.i VaiiGorder ; J French, afterward Miller ; k French, afterward R. B. Kerriok ; / Cotliueau ; m French, afterward Worev : n French, afterward Gordon : o F. X. 
cli. near Biicon's liouye ; ?■ House now standing built by Judge Laporte lS3i>. now Hagerman. visible from river, close to site of house of Talon ; s House now occupied byOeorge 
w location of Kevrick's famous camp. 1000 ; all original streets now used as roads are marked on map with arrows. 
present day. nine cemeteries have been established witliin original plot of Asylum, most of tlieni afterwards abandoned. It is said more people are buried in this valley in 



of the 



order of their establishment, by enclosed figui 



all gone from earliest o 



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HECKMAN 

BINDERY INC. 
^ AUG 89 

| P N. MANCHESTER, 
^^ INDIANA 46962 



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